Super vet Powell very nearly goes distance

GREEN Trophy star Scott Romeril lifted the Spot for Sport Trophy but it was a former island star who turned back the clock to steal much of the limelight at the Guernsey Table Tennis Centre. Peter Powell, the tournament winner as long ago as 1967 and now 71 years young, swept through his qualifying group and then won through to the straight knockout matches to reach the semi-finals of the Lions TTC-organised event.

Only then did the Lions stalwart meet his match, losing in straight sets to island champion Phil Ogier.

'At 71, I'm quite pleased with that,' admitted a stiff Powell the following morning.

'I didn't expect to get that far. I played Keith Opie, who had beaten me the last three times we had met, but I managed to beat him.

'He had beaten me in the island championships and again last week in the league. But I won 3-1,' added the super veteran.

On his way to the semis, Powell had ended the hopes of the tournament's other surprise package, former Muratti footballer Le Tissier.

He won their quarter-final 11-6 in the fifth but Le Tissier could go home consoling himself that he had beaten the double British junior girls' champion, Loveridge.

The starlet has beaten Ogier (twice) and Romeril in recent weeks, but could not get past Le Tissier who won 13-11, 11-9, 11-8.

In the other half of the draw, averages leader Romeril dropped the first two sets of his semi-final against island teammate Jez Powell, but hit back to win the next two and steal a place in the final by claiming the decider 15-13.

In the final, Romeril dropped the first, but with some strong, positive play, took the next three to claim the trophy.

* On Saturday the island's top players compete in the Guernsey round of the CI top-12 event.