The promotion race is at fever pitch in the Fourth Division. Godalming H head the division after a 9-1 success against Burymead e who, unfortunately, only fielded two players. Shula Laws and David Livingstone were unbeaten for the H team. Godalming L eased past their M team 6-4 but none of the L team players could get the better of Mick Stanners who was unbeaten for a two-man M outfit. Cody B, the other promotion contender, were shocked by a 6-4 defeat at the hands of Godalming J for whom John Upham and 13 year-old Anthony Lewis bagged pairs as did Stuart Stone and Ken Thompson for Cody.
As expected, Challoner B and Merrow D are relegated from the Premier Division. They met this week with Merrow D managing a consolation 6-4 win with Jason Tendler notching a maximum and Dave Halfpenny picking up a duo. The last remaining issue in the division is the runners-up spot which is between Burymead A and Merrow B who meet in the final match of the season. Burymead are currently five points clear after a 9-1 win against College Hill A. Phil Snelson and Derek Holman were unbeaten with Ramesh Bhalla picking up a pair. Meanwhile Merrow B got the better of their A team witha 7-3 success. All three B team players, John Callcut, Richard Seymour and Graham Faulkner won twice as did John Robinson for the A team.
Bramley B’s relegation from the First Division was confirmed after an 8-2 loss at Godalming D. Yawei Wang and Carsten Horne each bagged maximums for the team who I predicted, at Christmas, would get relegated. That one was wrong. Woking LTC A look certain to follow Bramley after they lost 6-4 at College Hill A. Martin Sharp was unbeaten for College Hill with Kevin Bown winning twice for two-man Woking. Burymead C cemented their promotion credentials witha 7-3 defeat of Ash A. Joel Clancy won all his three for Burymead with Richard Parke getting a pair as did Terry Osborne for Ash.
Allianz, in the Second Division, pushed themselves into promotion favourites with an 8-2 win over Godalming E. Manoj Shah and Clayton Green bagged maximums for Allianz. Meanwhile Woking LTC B edged out College Hill C, 6-4. John Koenigsberger with three and Daniel Koenigsberger with a pait won all Woking’s points, including the doubles. John Bounds won twice for College Hill.
The Third Division promotion battle appears to have come down to a fight between Cranleigh A and Aftermath E. Cranleigh whitewashed two-man Godalming G with Peter Coventry, Mark Lockyer and Angela Coventry claiming the points. Aftermath E beat Merrow G 8-2 with John Setterfield and Dave Thomas unbeaten. College Hill E have, guaranteed their current status after a 9-1 thrashing of Bramley E. Derek Hubbard and Harshal Galgale proved unbeatable with Richard Loversidge winning twice. College Hill D seemed doomed to the drop after a 7-3 defeat at the hands of Abinger. Brendan Bayley won all his three with Keith Sutton also of Abinger winning twice. Peter Caudrey bagged a pair for College Hill.