Lions prove to be kings of the table

LIONS A have wrapped up the Division One championship with three matches still to play. They have totally dominated the season and are deserving winners.

In Scott Romeril and Garry Dodd, they have arguably the best two players in the island and they have been well supported by Paul Hainsworth, who has also contributed some fine wins in his first season in the top flight.

They secured the title by drawing with closest rivals Whistlers A 5-5.

At the start of the night, Whistlers would have had to beat the Lions team and win all the rest of their games and Lions lose all theirs just to tie at the top, so it was extremely improbable.

Whistlers, to their credit, made Lions work hard for the point.

Without the injured Mark Pipet, James Lesbirel stepped in for his first match of the season and acquitted himself well without winning any games.

Alice Loveridge and Phil Hunkin combined to take five legs for Whistlers, Loveridge fighting back from 2-0 down to win, much to the dismay of Romeril.

They joined forces to beat Dodd and Romeril in the doubles and both beat Hainsworth.

In the final game of the night, Hunkin beat Dodd to secure the draw for Whistlers, but it was Lions who celebrated the title.

For Whistlers it was a case of what might have been if their veterans had not missed parts of the season due to injury.

In the other games this week, there were convincing 9-1 wins for Lions B against Whistlers C and Whistlers B who beat their D team.

Whistlers gained some consolation with their F team being confirmed as champions of Division Two.

Kay Chivers, Keith Opie and Kieran Guilbert have been by far the strongest outfit in the division this year and with three games to go have an unassailable 10-point lead.