Clacton & Dist: Brotherhood inflict rare defeat on Panthers

October 19, 2025 | Tony Oswick

Brotherhood A took the honours in this weekâ€s battle of the big guns in Division Oneof the Clacton League, beating reigning champions and title favourites Nomads Panthers 6-4.

Daniel Youngâ€s (pictured above, photo by Gavin Price) hat-trick for Brotherhood included impressive victories over last yearâ€s Closed Championship finalists James Denyer and Greg Green. Gary Young contributed two wins and Gracie Edwards one, while Denyer took two for the Panthers.

Somewhat surprisingly, only four of the individual matches were extended to a fourth set. It was the Panthers†first defeat since January 2024.

Elsewhere, Nomads Lions continued their perfect start to the season with another whitewash win, this time over the unfortunate Windsor Buzzards. Ethan Lloyd, Paul Hume and Martyn Green were this weekâ€s winning combination.

Windsor Eagles took four of the five of the matches which went the distance to run out narrow 6-4 winners against Walton A, Gary Cattermole undefeated for Windsor. Phil Smith won one, a tight 11-9 in the fifth against Paul Meikle, whilst it was an even tighter 12-10 in the fifth for Gavin Price against former team-mate Derek Willis. Crucially, Cattermole and Price took the doubles, 11-8 in the fifth, against Willis and Mark Gale. Gale was Waltonâ€s best player, winning two.

It was somewhat more comfortable in a second Windsor v Walton clash, the Hawks easing past Walton B 9-1. Andy Vincent and Felipe Rodriguez both took trebles and Scott Campbell two, Graham Buxtonâ€s win over Campbell preventing a Hawks†whitewash. Only three individual matches went beyond three sets.

An all-Brotherhood clash ended in an 8-2 victory for the ‘B†team over the ‘C†team. Patrick Cheung won three, and Simon Smith-Daye and Russell Hillier two each. There was a point each for Graham Playle and John Cleasby, Cleasby defying the odds to enjoy an excellent victory over Smith-Daye.

There was another surprise in Division Two where promoted Brotherhood J defeated Lawford 8-2. Joe Sherwin and Ruby Gallagher took hat-tricks, Gallagher defeating Charlie Denholm 11-6 in the decider and Ian Sherwood 11-8 in the decider. The only other match which went the distance saw Sherwin and Gallagher take the doubles 11-6 in the fifth against Denholm and Sherwood.

Brotherhood G notched up their second 7-3 victory in as many weeks, this time defeating club-mates Brotherhood D. John Gallagher remained unbeaten for the winners, with Paul Metcalf taking two and Mark Beckham one.

And there was a third Brotherhood victory in this Division as the ‘F†side enjoyed a convincing 8-2 success over Windsor Harriers, Mark Salter staying unbeaten. Paul Alden and Tricia Salter each won two, Tricia in fine fettle to beat both Isabel Barton and Ferdy Rodriguez, the latter match a nail-biting 11-9 in the fifth. Barry Allen picked up both Harriers†points.

Another maximum for Kelvin Olano-Harper was not enough to prevent Windsor Penguins going down 6-4 to Nomads Jaguars, for whom Andy Hart and Chris Petrou each won two. Paul Woolnough took one for the Penguins but lost 11-5 in the fifth to Hart and 11-8 in the fifth to Petrou.

It was also 6-4 as Windsor Kestrels defeated a Nomads Tigers†side fielding a reserve. Jonathan Foundâ€s treble for the Kestrels included an 11-9 in the decider win over Tom Wilkin. The Tigers†points were shared between Wilkin and Alex Baldock, each winning twice.

In Division Three, Walton C began their campaign with a 6-4 win over Holland Lancasters. Lynette Sparks won three, Maggie Earle two and Adrian Sexton one. Peter Evans notched up two for the Lancasters and Dave Wright one, the pair doing well as they combined to take the doubles against Sparks and Earle.

It was a first match of the season also for Nomads Leopards and they also started with a win, 8-2 against Windsor Falcons. Dominic Joannou and returning super-veteran Doug Green both recorded trebles, as well as sharing a doubles success. Anne Bonny took the eighth Leopards†point, whilst there was a point apiece for Windsorâ€s Gary Barnes and Matt Thomas.

No-one remained unbeaten in the Holland Vulcans v Brotherhood E encounter, the match ending all-square. Bob Keefe and Derek Foxley each won two for the Vulcans, as did Tony Edmonds and Jack Hillier for Brotherhood. Brotherhood will feel grateful to have taken all three five-setters, Edmonds beating Keefe 11-9 in the decider, Joe Hillier beating James Horsler by the same score, with the two Hilliers taking the doubles by an even closer 13-11 in the decider against Keefe and Foxley.

Finally, Holland Hurricanes won 8-2 against a Nomads Ocelots†team forced to field a guest player. Gary Stallwood remained unbeaten for the winners while Mike Wellum took both points for the losers.

* It was with great sadness that the League has learned of the death recently of Arthur Wells-Garrett. Arthur had been playing in the League since 2016 and had become a regular in the Nomads Ocelots side. A quiet, friendly and likeable man, and never one to seek the limelight, he had developed into a reliable and good standard Third Division player. We send our sincere condolences to his family.

RESULTS
Division 1
Windsor Eagles 6 Walton A 4
Brotherhood A 6 Nomads Panthers 4
Walton B 1 Windsor Hawks 9
Brotherhood B 8 Brotherhood C 2
Nomads Lions 10 Windsor Buzzards 0
Division 2
Lawford 2 Brotherhood J 8
Windsor Penguins 4 Nomads Jaguars 6
Brotherhood G 7 Brotherhood D 3
Windsor Kestrels 6 Nomads Tigers 4
Brotherhood F 8 Windsor Harriers 2
Division 3
Holland Vulcans 5 Brotherhood E 5
Holland Lancasters 4 Walton C 6
Nomads Ocelots 2 Holland Hurricanes 8
Nomads Leopards 8 Windsor Falcons 2

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