IN Division One of the Paperstation Malvern League, Manor Park Cavaliers maintained top spot by beating Ledbury Lions 10-0.

Jack and Joe Higgs both won their three singles and the doubles, while Trevor Simmons also chipped in with three wins.

For Lions, Steve Meredith took his three sets to four games, as did Richard Smith in two of his.

In second place now are Broadheath Belters who recorded their sixth straight win by beating Manor Park Pumas 9-1.

Michael Siket and Brett Brinning both scored maximums with Siket teaming up with Geoff Woodward, who won twice, to win the doubles. Pumas’ consolation came from Dave Hallam who beat Woodward 5-11, 5-11, 11-3, 11-8, 12-10, while John Hunt also took Woodward close, going down 7-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5, 8-11.

Ledbury Collection scored their third 10-0 win of the season as they easily overcame Crackpots ‘E’, Nigel Foreshew and Harry Jutle were both unbeaten in singles and the doubles while Ann Barnes, on her return to action, won her three singles in successive games.

Colin Dolding pushed Jutle all the way before going down 11-8, 5-11, 11-8, 7-11, 4-11 while Dave Steen also took Jutle to four games.

Manor Park Express gained three points when they beat Crackpots ‘E’ 7-3. Dave Woodyatt and Pete Griffths both won their three singles with Ray Page winning the other one.

For Crackpots, Dolding and Steen each won once and they teamed up to take the doubles, with both of them being unlucky to lose to Woodyatt, going down 12-10 and 11-8 in the fifth respectively.

Manor Park Pumas gained a 7-3 win over Ledbury Lions in a match where six of the sets required five games with Pumas winning four of them. For Pumas, Jon Dyke, John Hunt and Dave Hallam all won twice with Dyke and Hallam also taking the doubles.

For Lions, Jim Ahern won twice with Mike Morgan also winning once.

The match of the night was between Morgan and Dyke which ended in the Lions man’s favour by the closest of margins 11-9, 12-10, 4-11, 14-16, 13-11. X-Police have jumped into second place in Division Two, both on merit and with more matches played than any other team.

Their two 8–2 victories against Manor Park Crackpots and Ripple has placed them well into the top three teams and, at nearly the halfway point of the season, they are well in contention for promotion.

Matt White won all his six singles and was supported well by Toby Wren, who won five, while Steve Mulka and Malcolm Dalley both chipped in with two wins out of three.

In the Crackpots’ match, Stephen Lindner won two games.

Against Ripple, Roger Davies won one for Ripple and the doubles with Pete Nash.

In an evening in which only two sets were won in straight games and two sets went to five games, the final result between Crackpots ‘B’ and Manor Park Crackpots was a draw.

The two Crackpots teams had a number of closely-fought games, with Stan Ginn finishing up with two wins, Ted Cates and Alan Forsdike one each and the doubles for the ‘B’ team.

Lindner won three sets and Ed Palmer two for the Manor Park team.

Bill Lucas and Peter Dennis both won sets for Abbeydowne, while Lucas partnered Roy Holland to win the doubles.

But Matt Hodges and Stan Mason each took three sets, with Rory Brittain winning one for Manor Park Allsorts.

It was another match with close results, 13 games went beyond 9-9 and a total of 39 games were played.

Results.

Division One: Manor Park Cavaliers 10 Ledbury Lions 0; Manor Park Pumas 1 Broadheath Belters 9; Ledbury Collection 10 Crackpots ‘E’ 0; Manor Park Express 7 Crackpots ‘E’ 3; Manor Park Pumas 7 Ledbury Lions 3.

Division Two: X-Police 8 Manor Park Crackpots 2; Ripple 2 X-Police 8; Crackpots ‘B’ 5 Manor Park Crackpots 5; Abbeydowne 3 Manor Park Allsorts 7.