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We start away from League action as Week 5 began with a friendly match against Oberbruch Table Tennis Club from Germany. Our German visitors have had links with Midlothian since the early 1980s when they were twinned with Lasswade and they have continued to return to Scotland virtually every two years. After Lasswade folded, they maintained their connection by playing against MacTaggart Scott, the Club which took most of the Lasswade players. Greig and Colin remember with fondness a night when in the old MacTaggart Scott premises with concrete, slippy floors and room for two / three tables at push, a friendly was arranged - just a few Oberbruch players to compete, but the others who had come to Scotland would come along to watch we were told. Picture our faces when a busload of about 70 Germans turned up at the Club carrying crates and crates of beer - can't really remember much about the table tennis that night!! And so to this year as the Club were delighted to again entertain our German opposition last Monday. A great night was had by all - slightly fewer numbers than in the old days, but with a travelling support of about 30, Ladywood was turned into a miniature Heinsberg for the night. As with previous visits, the Germans certainly know how to enjoy their table tennis and the beer was cracked open well before the final match of the night. Oberbruch have a great Club spirit/camaraderie which we can hopefully try to replicate. The table tennis was really secondary on the night to the forming of some new friendships and the renewal of some old ones.
And so to the League action. Whilst most of the Club were entertaining Oberbruch, the controversy of the week was Murrayfield 2's decision to refuse a postponement of Team 1's match. With Greig on holiday, Colin had to miss out on renewing his "European friendships" as he travelled with Stuart Gow to take on Keith Dingwall, Vitto Ferrari and James Forrest. Starting the match at 3-0 down, the match was virtually over within half an hour as first Colin lost in five ends to Vitto followed by the narrowest of defeats for Stuart, 12-10 in the deciding end to young James. Whilst Colin did well to win his two remaining singles matches, those were the only wins for the visitors as they fell to an 8-2 defeat. Worse news followed for the Team with confirmation that an injury for Colin looks set to keep him out of action for the next 3 to 4 weeks.
Meanwhile in Division 1, Penicuik’s 3rd Team faced a home tie against Edinburgh University 3. Clive Liddiard, Iain Johnstone and Brian Bailey have had a difficult start to their Division 1 campaign with one win, two draws and a defeat in their first four matches. For the first time this season all three played well on the same night as they stormed to a 10-0 victory over their student opponents.
The surprise package of the season so far for the Club has been the form of the 4th Team in their first season in Division 2. Undefeated through the first four weeks of the season, the home side had to call up Gregory Leplatre from Division 3 to support regulars Tony Brentnall and Krzysztof Laszkiewicz as they hosted West Lothian 7. Gregory did not let the team down as he won 2 of his 3 singles matches whilst Tony and Krzysztof were each undefeated and combined for a doubles win as the home side ran out 9-1 winners and continued their great start to the season.
In Division 3, Team 5 faced an away match against Edinburgh University 3. Unlike Team 4, the 5th Team have struggled for consistency in their first four matches of the season and after a good win in Week 4 their inconsistency returned as John Bald won 2, Gregory, who had played so well for Team 4 the previous night only managed 1 win and Phil Daly, player of the night in week 4 didn't trouble the scorers as they fell to a disappointing 7-3 defeat.
In Division 4, Team 6 also faced Edinburgh University opponents. Luke Hennessey, Louis Myatt and Louis McLeod were looking to follow up their first victory of the season against Haddington with another win. The first three matches of the night turned out to be crucial. In match 1, Luke lost out to Joe Markey 12-10 in the fifth and deciding end before Louis McLeod lost in four ends. At 2-0 down, Louis Myatt knew that the pressure was on and he just fell short, losing the 4th end 11-9 and the fifth and deciding end of his first match 11-7. Although Luke and Louis Myatt rallied to win their remaining singles matches Louis McLeod was off form they knew that the doubles was vital - once again the visitors lost out in five tight ends and with that they fell to a frustrating 6-4 defeat.
And so to player of the Week - this week sees Brian Bailey in the running again - when was the last time he won 3 out of 3 singles matches (sorry Brian!) but he misses out on the basis that this week's award goes to the most consistent player over the first 5 weeks of the season for the Club - none other than Mr Scrabble name himself, Krzysztof Laszkiewicz. Kris has only played 3 out of the first five matches for Team 4 but perhaps it's no coincidence that the two matches he hasn't played have resulted in 5-5 draws - he once again won his 3 this week and played in the winning doubles match - that keeps him undefeated this season with 9 singles wins out of 9 in a division higher than he was playing last season. If we take last year into account, he's actually on an even better roll having gone undefeated for the last 4 matches he played last season - 21 wins out of his last 21 singles matches played - that's impressive - well done Kris!
And finally, controversy of the week - enough said already I think - it was refreshing to see how TT should be played in our match with Oberbruch - lots of fun, matches all played in a spirit of friendship and beers consumed both during the match and afterwards!
And so to the League action. Whilst most of the Club were entertaining Oberbruch, the controversy of the week was Murrayfield 2's decision to refuse a postponement of Team 1's match. With Greig on holiday, Colin had to miss out on renewing his "European friendships" as he travelled with Stuart Gow to take on Keith Dingwall, Vitto Ferrari and James Forrest. Starting the match at 3-0 down, the match was virtually over within half an hour as first Colin lost in five ends to Vitto followed by the narrowest of defeats for Stuart, 12-10 in the deciding end to young James. Whilst Colin did well to win his two remaining singles matches, those were the only wins for the visitors as they fell to an 8-2 defeat. Worse news followed for the Team with confirmation that an injury for Colin looks set to keep him out of action for the next 3 to 4 weeks.
Meanwhile in Division 1, Penicuik’s 3rd Team faced a home tie against Edinburgh University 3. Clive Liddiard, Iain Johnstone and Brian Bailey have had a difficult start to their Division 1 campaign with one win, two draws and a defeat in their first four matches. For the first time this season all three played well on the same night as they stormed to a 10-0 victory over their student opponents.
The surprise package of the season so far for the Club has been the form of the 4th Team in their first season in Division 2. Undefeated through the first four weeks of the season, the home side had to call up Gregory Leplatre from Division 3 to support regulars Tony Brentnall and Krzysztof Laszkiewicz as they hosted West Lothian 7. Gregory did not let the team down as he won 2 of his 3 singles matches whilst Tony and Krzysztof were each undefeated and combined for a doubles win as the home side ran out 9-1 winners and continued their great start to the season.
In Division 3, Team 5 faced an away match against Edinburgh University 3. Unlike Team 4, the 5th Team have struggled for consistency in their first four matches of the season and after a good win in Week 4 their inconsistency returned as John Bald won 2, Gregory, who had played so well for Team 4 the previous night only managed 1 win and Phil Daly, player of the night in week 4 didn't trouble the scorers as they fell to a disappointing 7-3 defeat.
In Division 4, Team 6 also faced Edinburgh University opponents. Luke Hennessey, Louis Myatt and Louis McLeod were looking to follow up their first victory of the season against Haddington with another win. The first three matches of the night turned out to be crucial. In match 1, Luke lost out to Joe Markey 12-10 in the fifth and deciding end before Louis McLeod lost in four ends. At 2-0 down, Louis Myatt knew that the pressure was on and he just fell short, losing the 4th end 11-9 and the fifth and deciding end of his first match 11-7. Although Luke and Louis Myatt rallied to win their remaining singles matches Louis McLeod was off form they knew that the doubles was vital - once again the visitors lost out in five tight ends and with that they fell to a frustrating 6-4 defeat.
And so to player of the Week - this week sees Brian Bailey in the running again - when was the last time he won 3 out of 3 singles matches (sorry Brian!) but he misses out on the basis that this week's award goes to the most consistent player over the first 5 weeks of the season for the Club - none other than Mr Scrabble name himself, Krzysztof Laszkiewicz. Kris has only played 3 out of the first five matches for Team 4 but perhaps it's no coincidence that the two matches he hasn't played have resulted in 5-5 draws - he once again won his 3 this week and played in the winning doubles match - that keeps him undefeated this season with 9 singles wins out of 9 in a division higher than he was playing last season. If we take last year into account, he's actually on an even better roll having gone undefeated for the last 4 matches he played last season - 21 wins out of his last 21 singles matches played - that's impressive - well done Kris!
And finally, controversy of the week - enough said already I think - it was refreshing to see how TT should be played in our match with Oberbruch - lots of fun, matches all played in a spirit of friendship and beers consumed both during the match and afterwards!
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