23rd September-07
Bennborn makes his mark

Stockholm Veteran Thomas Bennborn produced the most eye-catching results in the third round of British League Premier Division matches. Ellenborough’s ace-defender looked to be dead and buried against DHS London Progress’s Colum Slevin when he trailed 10-7 in the fifth end of a marathon match but in a dramatic finish Bennborn came through to win 11-7, 6-11, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10 cutting the ball in half in the process. Bennborn also came good in his second singles getting the better of Progress Captain Jason Sugrue 9-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-9. With Lorestas Trumpauskas beating Terry Young 6-11, 11-2, 4-11, 12-10, 11-6 this was a less than comfortable morning’s work for the Champions and there was a collected sigh of relief for the Progress squad when new signing Jiang Zhi Tao clinched their 5-3 victory by beating Gary Tendler 12-10, 11-1, 11-9.

Drumchapel Glasgow I met their match in TTK/Greenhouse, after a pulsating game which finished all square. The game followed a simple format with TTK’s Andrew Rushton and Gareth Herbert winning their four singles and Drumpchapel picking up the remaining four games. Crucial results here were Andrew Rushton’s 8-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-5, 11-4 victory over Sau Ayemojuba as well wins for both Gareth Herbert and Andrew Rushton against Ryan Jenkins. Drumchapels’ Craig Howieson played his part beating both Henry Medellin and Fatlum Sadiku 3-0.

The clash between Ormesby I and Urban Progress I produced another close match which Ormesby shaded 5-3. It was certainly a close run thing and Niall Cameron made his mark with an excellent 3-2 win over Michael Marsden whilst Costas Papantoniou made the score 2-2 by beating Nigel Eckersley 3-1, another superb victory. Damien Nicholls looked to be on his way to destroying Chris Lewis as Nicholls made all the running in the first two ends. Chris to his eternal credit kept plugging away and in one of the best comebacks of the weekend (no …. make that the Season !) Chris pulled through to win 1-11, 3-11, 16-14, 11-8, 11-6.What had already been an excellent match had one final twist left in it as Nigel Eckersley earned the Middlesbrough team their second point by coming from behind to defeat Ashley Stokes 4-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 12-10. A typical Eckerlsey comeback. Amidst all this excitement it is easy to forget that it was David Meads who took the Player of the Match Award for his 11-7, 11-3, 11-4 success against Chris Lewis and 5-11, 11-6, 14-12, 11-5 victory over Niall Cameron.

BATTS Team Peniel I scored their first win of the Season with a fairly routine 7-1 victory over Oxford Fire Place Centre I. Shuying Xue was BATTS’s only loser when she missed out 5-11, 11-4, 9-11, 6-11 to fellow countryman Jing Wei. Craig Bryant showed up well for the Essex side beating both Vytas Rybakas 11-8, 11-9, 11-6 and Jing Wei 11-8, 11-9, 11-9 whilst Neil Charles came through the only five-setter as he beat Eddie Roofe 3-11, 11-3 13-11, 16-18, 11-6.

Steve Kerns Press Officer
British League