Gnats seal title

CHAMPIONS Hales Gnats completed their league programme in the Beccles and District Table Tennis League by beating Hales Eagles 6-4 with a two-man team.

Gordon Howes was the busiest player on the night.

Although he won all three of his singles matches, two of them went to a fourth leg and the third was a very close match against Steve Webster in which four of the five legs went beyond deuce with Gordon finally edging it 15-13 in the final leg.

In his other match, Steve Webster beat David Flatt in five legs.

The league's championships finals night was also held last week.

The evening started with the two Open Singles semi-finals held over from the previous week. Oly Howes came from behind to beat James Skilleter and Greg Collett then beat Barney Garrod in straight legs. In the first final of the evening, Luke Glaysher beat Tom Herne in straight legs in the junior U21 singles event.

James Skilleter then won a very close battle against Greg Collett in the final leg of the open 21-up singles.

Luke Glaysher won his second trophy when he beat Gordon Howes in the open handicap singles final.

Oly Howes clawed back a huge deficit in the U60 handicap singles final by beating Alan Harper by four points.

Luke Glaysher teamed up with James Skilleter to win his third event of the evening by beating Barney Garrod and Alf Stubbs in the Pot-Luck doubles.

Barney then beat Doug Cheer in the O60 handicap singles final despite dropping the first leg.

The most exciting final of the evening was the open doubles final in which Gordon Howes and Oly Howes squeezed past James Skilleter and Greg Collett 11-9 in the fifth leg.

The open singles final then saw Greg Collett become the champion player of the year by beating Oly Howes in four legs.

The league now takes a break until October. Weekly practice sessions will start at Hales Village Hall in August.

If anybody is interested in joining the league they should give Barry Fortune a call on 01986 893172.