In the women’s event the top-seeded Kay Lefebvre won an all-Jersey final against Nicola Duke.
Afterwards she said: ‘It was hard going, but I was pleased to beat Nicola in round three on Saturday and again on Sunday. Apart from a few niggling injuries, I’m delighted. I’m playing really well at the moment.’
In the men’s band level 6 there was more local success as Kevin Allen won a five-game thriller against Bobby Vincent to set up a final against Dave Butler of Ireland. Allen took the first two games only for Butler to restore parity, and in a brilliant final game Allen won 13-11 to great applause from a crowd of 60-plus.
In the men’s band 5 Josh Band won his group to face Dave Gascoyne of Nottingham (Craig’s father) in the quarters. The Jersey junior controlled the match to win 3-0 with some great defensive shots and backhand
winners.
Luke Walker lost to Sarnian Liam Robilliard in the fifth game of his quarter-final 10-12 after having been two games to one up.
Kevin Allen reached the semis with Alasdhair Broadbent of Wales, who came back from two games down to beat Steve Smith of Buckinghamshire. Broadbent also came back from two down against Band in the first of the semis. The Jersey junior held his nerve to take the match 11-5, 12-10, 5-11 , 7-11, 11-7.
On the next table Allen lost to Robilliard 9-11, 9-11, 10-12 to set up a final between the two CI juniors.
In a brilliant final Robilliard took the first two games only for Band to level. Once again the Sarnian edged through to win the game 9-11 and the match 3-2.
In band 4 Paul Marshall and Trevor Lefebvre progressed from their groups to face Alasdhair Broadbent of Wales and John Magnall of the Isle of Man. Marshall got through to the final three-straight but Lefebvre was frustrated by the experienced chopping style of Magnall. The Manx player came from two games down to take the match.
In the final, Magnall raised his game again and with a brilliantly controlled display won by three games to love.
Marshall gained his revenge, however, in band 3 by getting the verdict in the fifth against the Manxman in the all-important match and continued unbeaten against Geoff Ware from Hampshire and Lefebvre to take the title.
In band 2 Eugene Ellis rolled back the years to beat top UK junior Jake Collins in the fifth, finishing runner-up to the other Collins brother, 17-year-old Ryan, who was a colossus at the table.
In band 1 Ryan and Jake Collins were joined by Jersey’s Craig Gascoyne and the multi-talented 17-year-old Matt Ware of Hampshire, ranked sixth in the UK. Gascoyne was at his supreme best, winning all his matches with the pick of the bunch being another five-game thriller against Ware after dispatching the Collins brothers.
