Only three of the New Milton teams were in action in the Bournemouth and District Table Tennis league last week as their other seven teams all had “byes”. The club’s only win came in Div 1 as the B team easily overcame basement boys Merton D by 8-2 down at Mudeford Wood. Unfortunately Merton’s Mick Anderson had to retire hurt during the first match of the evening against James Lewis, so Milton were gifted three games early doors. Captain Brian Bickell won his two matches and Lewis and Peter Daish, both playing up from Div 2, chipped in with one win apiece. The doubles were needed for maximum points and Bickell and Daish duly obliged in three straight ends.

A bit further down the hall, Div 2 leaders the G team just missed out on a draw as they lost 4-6 to Bmth Sports J in their first defeat of the campaign. In the first match of the evening, the previously unbeaten Simon Golding just lost 9-11 in the fifth end against Bourne’s Howard Lewis in an epic battle, but he then went on to see off Peter Richardson in three straight ends. Golding’s final match against John Crockett was a mirror image of his first, but this time he was on the right end of an 11-9 scoreline over five ends. Simon Daish (pictured below) also bagged a brace but Danny Williams drew his first blank of his campaign. The doubles were needed to force the draw, but it was not to be as the two Simons were beaten in three straight ends.

In the other league match played at Mudeford Wood on the same night, the H team (Malcolm Douglas, Keith Kensley & Les Smith) continued their losing streak as they were hammered 1-9 by Bmth Sports M in Div 4. Milton’s blushes were spared by Kensley who just managed to nick his game against Bourne veteran Jim Simmonds 12-10 in the fifth end.

The F team travelled to Southbourne to play their Times & Directory Cup preliminary round match which had been carried over from the previous week. The F’s who normally ply their trade in Div 3 faced the Premier’s Merton A and just lost out by 4-5 after some very close matches. It was level-pegging at 3-3, but Mike Roberts lost to Merton’s Mark Smith to make it 3-4. Captain Malcolm Nash needed to win his next match against Mark Butler to keep his team in the cup but lost 1-2, so that was it. Sylvia Smith gamely played the final match and beat Paul Jervis to add to her previous victory, but it was all over by then.

The F team live to fight another day however as they join their G and K teams in the consolation “Plate” competition which will be played Week Commencing 26^th January 2015. Full results details for the week are below:-

LEAGUE

DIVISION 1

New Milton B 8 Merton D 2

(Brian Bickell 2, James Lewis 1, Peter Daish 1)

DIVISION 3

New Milton G 4 Bmth Sports J 6

(Simon Golding 2, Simon Daish 2, Danny Williams 0)

DIVISION 4

New Milton H 1 Bmth Sports M 9

(Malcolm Douglas 0, Keith Kensley 1, Les Smith 0)

TIMES & DIRECTORY HANDICAP CUP – PRELIMINARY ROUND

New Milton F (Div 4) 4 Merton A (Premier) 5

(Sylvia Smith 2, Malcolm Nash 1, Mike Roberts 1)

There was a break in the Bournemouth and District Table Tennis league programme as last week was given over to the Preliminary Round of the annual Times & Directory Handicap Cup competition. The New Milton club entered seven out of its ten teams into the competition, five of whom were drawn into the Preliminary Round, the other two teams drawing “byes” to the First Round proper.

The Cup provides an interesting diversion from the league programme in that it enables teams from across all divisions to be drawn against each other in a handicapped competition, best of three matches up to 21, with no doubles.

The D team was drawn against fellow Div 2 side Merton F who subsequently withdrew from the competition, so Terry’s Jenvey’s team coast seamlessly into the first round. The Div 3’s F team was due to play the Premier’s Merton A on the Wednesday night but this was rearranged for the following week as Merton couldn’t put out a team.

This just left three of the club’s teams who actually played last week, the B, G and K teams. The only winners proved to be the B team (Div 1) who beat Div 5’s Winton YMCA F 6-3 in their own back yard. England Veteran Brian Bickell (pictured below) led from the front with a hat-trick, Frank Handy bagged a brace and Andrew Daish chipped in with the one win. Handy and Daish, who normally play for the E team in Div 2, put in a tremendous show as stand-ins given they had to take on the handicaps of the Div 1 players they replaced.

The G team (Simon Golding, Bev Scott-Johns & Simon Daish) who normally ply their trade in Div 3 took on Winton YMCA D from Div 4 at Mudeford Wood. Golding, giving Winton’s Duncan Feltham a start of +8, got the evening underway by winning his first end 21-17, but tantalisingly lost the next two 20-21, 20-21. Milton went on to lose the next three games, but Golding then kept his team in it by beating wily veteran Harold Feltham 21-19, 21-18 to make it 1-4. Milton’s hopes were then dashed as Daish was overcome in two straight ends by Winton’s Will Sharpe.

The club’s other 1-5 defeat came down at the Grange as the Div 5’s K team (Francis Benjamin, Stuart Burton & Bill Collinge) lost to Bmth Sports H (Div 3). Milton went 0-3 down as their players lost their opening matches, but captain Stuart Burton brought some respite by beating Bourne’s Ross Campbell to make it 1-3. That proved a false dawn however as Benjamin and Collinge lost their next matches to send Bourne through to the first round.

However, the losing G and K teams live to fight another day as they go into the consolation “Plate” competition which will be played Week Commencing 26^th January 2015. Full results details are below:-

Winton YMCA F (Div 5) 3 New Milton B (Div 1) 6

(Brian Bickell 3, Frank Handy 2, Andrew Daish 1)

New Milton D (Div 2) Merton F (Div 2)

(Conceded by Merton F)

New Milton G (Div 3) 1 Winton YMCA D (Div 4) 5

(Simon Golding 1, Bev Scott-Johns 0, Simon Daish 0)

New Milton K (Div 5) 1 Bmth Sports H (Div 3) 5

(Francis Benjamin 0, Stuart Burton 1, Bill Collinge 0)

The New Milton Club had its best week so far in the Bournemouth and District League this season as its teams won five out of ten matches, three of them being maximum-pointers. It was also a week in which no less than eight of the club’s players came up with hat-tricks, which is the highest tally of trebles so far this season.

In Div 2 the E team hammered Bmth Sports E 9-1 down at the Grange. Captain Frank Handy led from the front with his second hat-trick of the season and Andrew Daish followed suit with his first ever league hat-trick. Daish’s younger brother Peter was unlucky not to join his team mates in a treble as he lost over five ends to Bourne’s Arthur Bartram having won the first two ends but losing the third 11-13.

The club’s other 9-1 victory came in Div 3 as the G team demolished Nimrod A at Mudeford Wood courtesy of hat-tricks from Simon Golding and Simon Daish, the latter’s first full-house in over three years.

The C team were promoted to Div 1 from Div 2 last season and have really struggled to find form having lost their first four matches including two whitewashes of late. Putting all that behind them, they beat Merton D 8-2 in their own back yard courtesy of hat-tricks from captain Malcolm Floyd and Matt Winter. The doubles were needed for the precious four points and Winter partnered Julie Smillie to duly oblige. Across the court from their C team, the D team’s Terry Jenvey put in an excellent captain’s performance as his treble helped his team hold Merton F to a 5-5 draw in Div 2.

The F team’s Ian Linney (pictured below) was due to go into hospital for a Hip Replacement Operation three days after his match, but you wouldn’t think so as he played like a veritable spring chicken to get his first hat-trick of the season.

The J team’s Lynn Willrich came ascloseasthis to recording her first hat-trick of the season in Div 5 but it wasn’t to be as she lost over five ends in her last singles against Bourne’s Steve Chizlett. Lynn was 2-1 up in the third but lost the next two ends 11-13, 12-14 as it slipped from her grasp– so near yet so far!  Full results are below:-

PREMIER

New Milton A 7 Merton A 3

(Steve Hemmings 2, Brian Vibert 2, Brian Bickell 2)

DIVISION 1

New Milton B 4 Broadstone A 6

(John Millward 1, Brian Bickell 2, Zoltan Karip-Barath 0)

Merton D 2 New Milton C 8

(Matt Winter 3, Julie Smillie 1, Malcolm Floyd 3)

DIVISION 2

Merton F 5 New Milton D 5

(Terry Jenvey 3, Bev Scott-Johns 0, Bob Fagan 2)

New Milton E 9 Bmth Sports E 1

(Frank Handy 3, Peter Daish 2, Andrew Daish 3)

DIVISION 3

Bmth Sports J 3 New Milton F 7

(Ian Linney 3, Malcolm Nash 1, Mike Roberts 2)

New Milton G 9 Nimrod A 1

(Simon Golding 3, Simon Daish 3, Danny Williams 2)

DIVISION 4

New Milton H 4 Nimrod C 6

(Dee Flanagan 1, Malcolm Douglas 1, Les Smith 2)

DIVISION 5

New Milton J 5 Bmth Sports P 5

(Lynn Willrich 2, Geoff Biggs 2, James Harper 0)

Nimrod D 7 New Milton K 3

(Francis Benjamin 1, Richard Clampin 1, Stuart Burton 1)

For the second week running, the New Milton Club could only come up with one win in the Bournemouth and District League. However, there were some brilliant individual performances from two of the club’s junior players, Elliott Storr-Smith and Kai Major, both thirteen years old. In only his second outing in the league, Elliott improved on last week’s maiden brace to come up with a treble for his J team in Div 5, helping to earn them a point. Kai was voted the club’s most improved player last season, and his first ever league hat-trick helped his D team to a precious point in Div 2.  Photo on the left is Elliott, and the photo on the right is Kai (receiving his Most Improved Player of the Year Shield from Club President Bob Fagan).

The club’s only win came in Div 3 as the G team took maximum points off Bmth Sports K in an 8-2 win down at Chapel Gate. Danny Williams has gone up a division this season and did well to join team mate Simon Golding in a treble. Captain Bev Scott-Johns got his campaign off to a good start with an excellent brace.

The club’s other treble-maker was James Lewis whose full house helped his E team to a 5-5 draw against North Bmth in Div 2. He topped a perfect evening by joining with Peter Daish to win the doubles to secure the two points. Full results details are below:-

PREMIER

Bmth Sports A 9 New Milton A 1

(Steve Hemmings 0, Brian Vibert 1, John Millward 0)

DIVISION 1

New Milton C 0 Lynwood A 10

(Julie Smillie 0, Malcolm Floyd 0, Matt Winter 0)

DIVISION 2

New Milton D 4 Lynwood B 6

(Bob Fagan 1, Kai Major 3, Norma Millward 0)

North Bmth 5 New Milton E 5

(James Lewis 3, Peter Daish 1, Andrew Daish 0)

DIVISION 3

New Milton F 3 Broadstone C 7

(Ian Linney 0, Malcolm Nash 1, Mike Roberts 2)

Bmth Sports K 2 New Milton G 8

(Simon Golding 3, Bev Scott-Johns 2, Danny Williams 3)

DIVISION 4

Bmth Sports L 7 New Milton H 3

(George Roberts 2, Malcolm Douglas 0, Keith Kensley 0)

DIVISION 5

Shamrock C 6 New Milton J 4

(Lynn Willrich 1, Elliott Storr-Smith 3, Geoff Biggs 0)

New Milton K 3 Winton YMCA F 7

(Miriam Mather 1, Richard Clampin 0, Bill Collinge 1)

The New Milton Club came up with four draws out of their eight matches in the Bournemouth and District league last week, every one of the ties coming at the death by winning the doubles.

The G team’s Simon Golding came up with his second hat-trick in a row to help his team to their draw against Bmth Sports G in Div 3 down at Mudeford Wood. Also in Div 3, Mike Roberts picked up his first hat-trick of the campaign in his F team’s dead heat against Bmth Sports H away at Chapel Gate. Both players had a hand in winning their team’s doubles which went all the way to five ends, as did the other doubles in the club’s draws.

The club’s only win came in Div 1 as the B team beat Bmth Sports C 6-4 at Mudeford Wood courtesy of England veteran Brian Bickell’s second hat-trick in a row (Brian is pictured below). Impressive new signing Francis Benjamin also came up with his second treble on the trot as he helped his K team to a precious point away against Winton YMCA E in Div 5.

DIVISION 1

New Milton B 6 Bmth Sports C 4

(John Millward 1, Brian Bickell 3, Zoltan Karip-Barath 1)

Bmth Sports D 10 New Milton C 0

(Julie Smillie 0, Malcolm Floyd 0, Svet Ignatov 0)

DIVISION 2

Bmth Sports F 5 New Milton D 5

(Chris Pusey 2, Norma Millward 0, Bob Fagan 2)

New Milton E 5 Ringwood A 5

(Andrew Daish 0, James Lewis 2, Frank Handy 2)

DIVISION 3

Bmth Sports H 5 New Milton F 5

(Ian Linney 1, John Parkhouse 0, Mike Roberts 3)

New Milton G 5 Bmth Sports G 5

(Simon Golding 3, Danny Williams 1, Bill Page 0)

DIVISION 5

New Milton J 1 Merton L 9

(Lynn Willrich 1, James Harper 0)

Winton YMCA E 7 New Milton K 3

(Francis Benjamin 3, Stuart Burton 0, Miriam Mather 0)

The New Milton Club improved on their three wins from the opening week of the Bournemouth and District league with four victories last week including three maximum pointers. The A team led from the front with a 9-1 win over Winton YMCA A in the Premier, courtesy of hat tricks from Captain Steve Hemmings and Matthew Daish.

In Div 1, England veteran Brian Bickell got his season off to a flying start as his hat-trick helped his B team to an 8-2 win over Merton E in their own back yard. The club’s other 8-2 win came in Div 3 as the G team’s Simon Golding (pictured) and Clive Pitts came up with opening trebles of their own against Ringwood C at Greyfriars.

Div 5 saw the first of the local derbies between the K and J teams, the Kays claiming bragging rights over their club mates in a very tight encounter down at the Grange. Impressive new signing Francis Benjamin came up with his maiden hat-trick and paired up well with Andrew Stainton to take the doubles in their 6-4 victory. Full results details are below:- Read the rest of this entry →

The Bournemouth and District Table Tennis league got underway last week with the New Milton Club coming up with three wins out of six, one of the wins coming at the expense of one of their own teams in a local derby.

Div 2 saw the E team square up to the D team, with the E’s claiming first bragging rights over their club mates with a 7-3 victory down at The Grange School, Somerford. The club has recently moved from the Arnewood School to the Dorset Table Tennis Centre at the Grange, but also continues to play home matches at the Mudeford Wood Community Centre.

The H team’s Dee Flanagan will remember the opening week for some time as she chalked up her first ever hat-trick in the league. Not content with this excellent treble, she teamed up with captain Les Smith to win the doubles to give her team maximum points over Merton J down at Mudeford Wood.

Brian Vibert returned to action for Milton with a hat-trick for the A team in the Premier, and 13 year old Matthew Daish also scored a full house for the premier team. The club’s other treble-maker was Frank Handy who captained his E team to victory over the D team.

Full results details are below:-

PREMIER

New Milton A 8 Merton B 2

(Brian Vibert 3, Matthew Daish 3, Steve Hemmings 2)

DIVISION 1

Breamore 6 New Milton C 4

(Svet Ignatov 1, Zoltan Ordog 2, Malcolm Floyd 1)

DIVISION 2

New Milton E 7 New Milton D 3

(E Team: Andrew Daish 1, Frank Handy 3, Peter Daish 2)

(D Team: Chris Pusey 2, Terry Jenvey 0, Bob Fagan 1)

DIVISION 3

Merton H 7 New Milton F 3

(Malcolm Nash 1, Sylvia Smith 0, Mike Roberts 2)

DIVISION 4

New Milton H 8 Merton J 2

(George Roberts 2, Dee Flanagan 3, Les Smith 2)

DIVISION 5

Merton K 6 New Milton K 4

(Stuart Burton 0, Andrew Stainton 2, Francis Benjamin 2)

Having moved to bigger premises at the Grange, the club is on the lookout for more members from experienced players to novices. Club nights are Sundays and Thursdays at the Grange, and the first night is free. Anybody interested should give club secretary Bev Scott-Johns a call on 01425 619552, or just turn up on the night.

Matthew with Raphael Scharrenbach

On 29th August 2014, Matthew Daish (13) participated in the Brohler Cup, a biennial tournament which took place in Rheinbrohl, Germany. The tournament attracts some of the best players from the surrounding region with an 800 euro prize fund. This was Matthew’s first experience of playing in a tournament outside the UK.

Prior to the tournament, Matthew had been invited to join club training in Adenau who play in the Bezirksliga, roughly equivalent to a strong Premier Division side in the Bournemouth league but some 5 leagues below the German Table Tennis Bundesliga. The difference of standard and technique was apparent from the start as Matthew struggled to get to grips with opponents’ styles and spin, losing all his matches. A few days later Matthew was invited back to the Adenauer club for further training and he proved that he was able to adapt by winning his matches.

Matthew then attended training at Rheinbrohl TTC, the Brohler Cup hosts who play in the Verbandsliga – two divisions higher than Adenau. He received a warm welcome, encouragement and help from the members.

Matthew took part in both the singles and doubles events and was the youngest competitor by several years so the odds were against him right from the start. The group stage proved fairly comfortable for Matthew, ending up as runner up in his group. In the knockout stage he fell 2-0 behind to a very strong female player Kathrin Schwierz (who later won in the doubles) but the New Milton table tennis club player fought back to win the match 3-2.

In the quarter-finals match, Matthew faced Mathias Caspari and the gulf in class between this player and the others Matthew had faced previously was apparent from the start.  Caspari – who had just beaten one of the tournament favourites -stormed into a comfortable 2-0 lead. Matthew looked beaten but then Raphael Scharrenbach (Publicity Officer for the Rheinbrohl club) offered Matthew some coaching and Matthew raised his game with some of the best table tennis he has ever played to pull the match back to 2-2. The momentum was with the 13 year old but he started the 5^th end poorly, leaving him 9-3 down. He managed to climb back to 9-7 but Caspari’s greater experience carried him over the line and he won the last end 11-8, knocking Matthew out of the tournament.

In the doubles event, Matthew and his doubles partner Daniel Dechert crushed everyone in their path until the semi-finals match which took place at half past midnight! Their form deserted them at the wrong moment and they were comfortably beaten.

As a thank you gift for taking part, Matthew was given a scarf with the Rheinbrohl TTC’s colours and logo and was told that he would be welcome to play in their A team in the Verbandsliga when in Germany. Before leaving he was also introduced to the Mayor of the local area Verbandsbürgermeister Michael Mahlert, who was a guest of honour.

Matthew would like to thank both the Adenauer and Rheinbrohler table tennis clubs for generously allowing him to train with them, for their support and kindness.

As some of you probably know, we have changed our venue to The Grange School.  We are now resident in a brand new sports hall, with top of the range tables and plenty of space!

As a result of this change our junior coaching sessions have changed time and day.  Junior coaching will now be on a THURSDAY, starting Thursday 11th September 2014, between 7 and 8pm.  The cost will still be £2 per session and will be run by two UKCC coaches, myself and Matt Ware, who is an international player.   Any junior player is welcome to attend, you don’t have to be a club member, and we have boys and girls from a selection of local schools.  All you need is yourself, your £2, a pair of trainers and suitable clothing, bats can be provided, so please come along and have a go!

Matt will be giving individual coaching, from 6pm until 7pm, and then from 8pm until 10pm.  At the moment his rates are still £15 an hour for individuals, and £20 per hour for a small group of up to four players.  These individual sessions are available to any club member and are well worth the investment.  Matt comes highly recommended and it is a great opportunity to boost your game and learn from a real professional.

Any coaching queries please feel free to ask me on 01425 614784.

See you soon

Julie Smillie (Coaching Officer New Milton Table Tennis Club)