Joggers finish on unbeaten league run

DTH Redlands Joggers, who claimed the Division Two title weeks ago, finished their league campaign off with yet another win and have ended the season unbeaten in the league.

Their impressive record reads played 15, won 14 and drawn one and Dennis Learad and his players can all look forward to playing in the top division next season where they will certainly hold their own.

Although they won their last match of the season against Manton Tigers 6-4 it was a close run thing as they came up against a man in form in Paul Allison.

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Joggers’ Peter Cowburn suffered his first loss of the season against Allison, who went on to record an impressive hat-trick, beating Dennis Learad and Jim Kenny.

Dave Bownes also beat Kenny but it wasn’t enough to get a point for the Tigers with the doubles rubber being pivotal as it went into a fifth and deciding set, Kenny and Learad just doing enough to beat Allison and Bownes.

Despite the disappointment of their defeat to the Joggers the Tigers bounced back with a 6-4 win of their own over Manton Sports.

The Tigers made two changes with Phil Hall and Bill Bateman coming in for Bownes and Beeston.

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Allison again registered a hat-trick with Bateman also winning all of his games to secure the six sets required for the win.

For Sports Keith Smith, John Lowde and Alan Wilson all beat Phil Hall and then Smith and Lowde combined to beat Allison and Hall in the doubles.

Two matches were played in Division Three and both featured a team who only fielded two players.

First up was the local derby between Ryton Park Dragons and club colleagues the Cougars, with the Dragons only turning up with two players.

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For the Cougars Ivan Stalworthy and Dave Lee won their games against Andy Bell and Lee Banton and along with the doubles and the three sets awarded, they easily ran out 8-2 winners.

One ray of sunshine for the Dragons was that both Bell and Lee Banton won a set each, beating Luke Banton of the Cougars.

In their next match Ryton Park Cougars yet again faced a team with only two players – this time it was DTH Redlands Rookies as their third player Dave Cowburn was stuck in traffic.

Despite being a man down the Rookies put up a terrific fight and managed to grab what was an unlikely looking draw.

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For the Rookies John Maher won all of his three matches with the games against Ivan Stalworthy and Dave Lee going into a deciding set, which on both occasions Maher managed to win.

His third win of the night was a much more straight forward affair as he beat the improving Luke Banton in straight sets.

Maher was well supported by Derek Piper who was returning from a long term injury and managed to beat both Lee and Banton to clinch a point for the Rookies, but lost out in straight sets to Stalworthy.

A reminder that the second of the Championship Finals nights is Tuesday 27th April at Stanley Street Club, with the first final of the night starting at 7.20pm.

If anyone still has trophies from last season they can return them on the night.

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