19 January, 2020 Daniel Clark
Just three points separate the top three in Mixed Division One, but it looks as Queens’ four year stranglehold on the title is set to come to an end.
Top of the league are Ringswell A who are still unbeaten, winning all three of their matches so far, with Exeter A two points back and Queens three, with Ringswell having a game in hand on the pair.
In the last match before Christmas, Ringswell A beat St Leonards A 6-3 to move into first position, with the team of Adrian Freeman/Claire Harrison, Barry Hariss/Laura Eyles and Andy Taylor/Jess Hill all winning two matches, the latter who had a nailbiting 20-22, 21-11, 28-26 win over Tom Phillips/Louise Gubbin.
Second in the table are Exeter A, just one point back, after a 5-4 win over Queens. Simon Brassington/Grace Lee won all three matches for Queens, but the deciding rubber saw Shaun Roberts/Julia Melling beat Darren Frisby/Mandy Bishop 21-12, 21-12 to give Exeter the win.
Just one fixture has taken place in Division 2A, and that saw Otter Vale A grab the bragging rights over Otter Vale B in the inter-club derby. Tom Bennett/Jo Smith were unbeaten for the A team, while Ed Bugler/Susan Ross combined to pick up the two points for the B team, for whom Daniel Clark/Madi Challinor battled hard but lost all three rubbers in tight three sets.
St Leonards C look favourites to wrap up the Division 2B title after two wins put them 11 points clear of the chasing pack, and with a game in hand as well. Before Christmas, they beat a two-pair Sidmouth B team 9-0, before kicking off the New Year with a 6-3 win away to Honiton, although no pair managed to beat Peter Bolt/Helena Williams.
Honiton are second after they beat Sidmouth B 9-0, but are just one point ahead of both Otter Vale C and Otter Vale D, both of whom have played a game less. And it was the C team who got revenge on their D team counterparts for their defeat at the start of the season after an 8-1 win. David Williamson/June Goode and Chris Smith/Susan Ross were unbeaten, with Andy O’Brien/Anne Drury grabbing the consolation point.