Lions A crowned champions after victory over B team

They have historically been the club to beat in the top flight having taken the title 22 times in the past 25 seasons. However, Whistlers had usurped them in the previous two seasons, but the Lions A side, who had been close challengers during those prior campaigns, have been the best side this time around and regained the title for their club.

Ben Foss, Ryan Bichard and Jamie Ferbrache have each played strong parts in the title-winning effort with important victories obtained by each.

This week saw a narrow 6-4 win over Lions B in a fixture where a player was missing from each side.

Lions B star Phil Ogier, who currently occupies second in the averages, did not feature, while Ferbrache was absent for the newly-crowned champions.

Foss is the current averages leader and he continued his impressive unbeaten record since returning to lockdown with another trio of singles wins.

He comfortably overcame Dawn Morgan, Andre De Carteret and reserve Terry Trustum without dropping an end and he also combined with Bichard to defeat Morgan and De Carteret in straight sets in the doubles rubber.

Bichard himself added wins over De Carteret and Trustum in straight sets, but had a 2-0 advantage clawed back well by Morgan during her comeback five-set win.

Each of the defeated Lions B side earned wins over Lions A reserve Brian Ferbrache although Trustum needed five sets and De Carteret four.

A combination of the defeat for Lions B and the victory for Whistlers A has also seen the latter officially claim the runners-up honours for the season.

They were 7-3 winners over fifth-placed Lions C despite an unbeaten evening for Paul Hainsworth.

Hainsworth was in good form during his hat-trick of straight sets wins over Lawrence Stacey, Matthew Casey and Ryan Gilson.

Each of the Whistlers players defeated Andy Gill and Sam Clark in singles action, although Casey and Gilson each needed the full five sets to defeat Gill, with Casey edging through 12-10 in the decider, saving a match point in the process, and Gilson 11-9 in the deciding end.

Clark, too, was competitive in his matches, having won the opening set in each before losing over four.

The doubles rubber was a third such encounter to be edged by the Whistlers side over five sets.

Stacey and Gilson were 2-1 down before edging a tight fourth 12-10 and then battled back incredibly from 7-2 down in the decider to nick it 11-8.

Fourth-placed Whistlers B were the final winners of the week but they had a real tough test against bottom-side Lions D, who pushed them to a close 6-4 finish.

Josh Stacey was key for his team as he earned wins over Liam Robilliard, Steve Ozanne and Charlotte Casey, dropping just a single end to Robilliard during a hard fought four-set win in the process.

Ben Sharp and Ellis Tomlin each contributed, with wins over Casey in four sets and straight sets respectively, and the youngsters also combined well to win the crucial doubles rubber against Ozanne and Casey in straight sets.

Robilliard and Ozanne showed good form on the night as each earned singles wins over Sharp and Tomlin.