IT'S been a tough baptism for Brotherhood J in their first season in the Clacton and District League.

Their team are languishing at the bottom of division three and without a win.

However, the Brotherhood newcomers took the honours in round one of the Handicap Knockout Cup with a convincing 5-1 success against Windsor Ospreys.

Georgia Ayton, Harley Wood and Oleksandra Klymenko each won a singles while Wood and Klymenko combined to win the opening doubles.

In the closest match of the tie, Ayton and Klymenko (0) defeated Jordan Webb and Mark Lamb (0) 11-7, 11-13, 9-11, 12-10, 11-6 in the second doubles.

Windsor Kites and Brotherhood G went all the way before the Kites emerged 5-4 winners, with Chris Simson and Mick Simson (0) scraping past Paul Metcalf and David Hunt (0) 11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 12-14, 11-8 in the final doubles to secure their place in round two.

Brotherhood will consider themselves unfortunate that, when leading 3-1, Roger Ellis was forced to concede two matches through illness - just after he had just completed an epic 11-8 in the decider win in match four against Mick Simson, a match played off scratch.

Nomads Lynx made full use of their handicap advantage to defeat Nomads Caracals 5-0.

The only match that went to five saw Cameron Cini (+2) defeat Denise Thompson (-8) 10-12, 7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-3.

Windsor Penguins could field only two players against Windsor Swallows, as did Nomads Leopards against Nomads Ocelots, which meant they immediately conceded four points - which made it easy for both the Swallows and Ocelots to record 5-0 wins.

In division one of the league, Walton B completed their first-half programme with a 7-3 success against Windsor Hawks. There were three for Colin Dearman and two each for Jason Gale and Paul Meikle.

Dearman had a tight 11-9 in the decider win against Andy Vincent while it was an even tighter 13-11 in the decider for Gale against Elliott Attrill.

Vincent won a couple for the Hawks.

In division two, Brotherhood D are now just eight points behind leaders Brotherhood H after beating Windsor Harriers 9-1.

Lee Harvey stayed unbeaten, as did Russell Hillier, although he was pushed all the way by Isabel Barton before winning 11-6 in the fifth.

Nomads Tigers are within ten points of the top following their 9-1 victory over Nomads Pumas.

John Marshall and Tom Wilkin, making his first appearance for the Tigers this season, both took trebles.

Reserve Mike Wellum picked up the Pumas' consolation point.

In division two of the super-veterans' section of the Essex Inter-League, Becontree B emerged narrow 5-4 winners against Clacton.

There was one each for Clacton's Meikle, Derek Willis and Dearman, with all the three victories being decided in the final set.

Willis and Meikle combined to take a fourth point in their doubles.

The crucial match of the afternoon saw Becontree's Peter Cranmer edge it 13-11 in the fifth against Dearman.

Results: Division one: Walton B 7 Windsor Hawks 3.

Division two: Brotherhood D 9 Windsor Harriers 1, Nomads Tigers 9 Nomads Pumas 1.

Essex Inter-League: Super-vets' section: Division two: Clacton (Willis, Meikle, Dearman) 4 Becontree B 5.

Knockout Cup: Round one: Windsor Ospreys 1 Brotherhood J 5, Windsor Swallows 5 Windsor Penguins 0, Nomads Ocelots 5 Nomads Leopards 0, Brotherhood G 4 Windsor Kites 5, Nomads Lynx 5 Nomads Caracals 0.

Knockout Cup: Round two (revised draw): Windsor Kestrels v Brotherhood D, Windsor Magpies v Walton B, Brotherhood J v Nomads Bobcats, Windsor Condors v Windsor Owls, Nomads Wildcats v Walton D, Brotherhood I v Nomads Panthers, Walton C v Windsor Buzzards, Nomads Lynx v Brotherhood E, Lawford v Walton A, Windsor Swallows v Nomads Pumas, Nomads Lions v Windsor Eagles, Brotherhood B v Brotherhood H, Brotherhood C v Windsor Harriers, Windsor Hawks v Nomads Tigers, Windsor Kites v Nomads Ocelots, Brotherhood F v Nomads Jaguars.

DIVISION ONE

P W D L Pts

Panthers 11 10 0 1 90

Condors 11 11 0 0 82

Eagles 11 7 1 3 70

Brotherhood B 11 7 1 3 67

Walton A 11 6 1 4 67

Walton B 11 5 0 6 60

Brotherhood C 11 6 1 4 58

Lions 11 5 0 6 50

Hawks 11 2 3 6 49

Kestrels 10 1 1 8 26

Lawford 10 1 0 9 16

Owls 11 0 0 11 15

DIVISION TWO

P W D L Pts

Brotherhood H 12 10 0 2 90

Brotherhood I 12 10 0 2 87

Brotherhood F 12 9 1 2 82

Brotherhood D 12 7 2 3 82

Tigers 12 8 2 2 80

Bobcats 12 9 0 3 75

Harriers 12 6 0 6 64

Buzzards 12 6 0 6 63

Walton C 12 2 1 9 42

Jaguars 12 2 2 8 37

Brotherhood E 12 2 1 9 35

Magpies 12 2 0 10 26

Pumas 12 0 1 11 17

DIVISION THREE

P W D L Pts

Walton D 11 11 0 0 97

Wildcats 11 10 0 1 91

Penguins 11 8 1 2 69

Swallows 12 6 1 5 61

Kites 11 3 5 3 56

Ospreys 12 4 2 6 55

Lynx 11 4 3 4 54

Caracals (6) 10 5 2 3 48

Leopards 10 2 1 7 32

Ocelots (2) 11 1 1 9 30

Brotherhood G 9 1 3 5 29

Brotherhood J 11 0 1 10 19

(Points deducted in brackets).