The Spalding and District Table Tennis League – sponsored by Vital Recruitment – moved into the second half of its season.
In addition three Marylands Cup matches were completed from the previous week.
In Division One, what should have been a routine win in a top v bottom fixture turned out to be anything but.
Bladerunners defeated JAG 4-1 but found themselves forced into three five-enders as well as a deuce in the only straight win and dropping an end in the doubles.
Tomascz Dobrzyn picked up his usual two, but only after coming back in the fifth from 6-9 down.
Both team-mate Dave Gibson’s games went all the way, losing one and hanging on for a 16-14 in the fifth of the other.
JDM moved up to fourth spot in the table despite losing 3-2 to Defenders.
The latter’s Jean White won both of hers but they needed the doubles for the win after Christian Green repeated his win over his father from earlier in the season.
They overtook Outsiders who lost 4-1 to Haz Beans, who also moved ahead of their opponents on countback.
Colin Vertigen and Tony Cooper won all the singles but then slipped up in the doubles to the same pair of players.
JDM look likely to drop back again as they are only a point ahead, which Beans have in hand in an unfinished match against the same team.
In Division Two, Hope For The Best maintained their lead with a 4-1 victory over Insidious.
Richard Matthews took a double while Gary Simpson scored for the losers on a night when he fought four deuce ends in nine played.
Nearest rivals Castle Sports matched that result winning by the same score against Saunter Together.
Castle’s Jonathan Black and Frank Hunt won all four singles, but conceded the doubles.
Bladerunners lost their first match this season, though to be fair it was in the Marylands Cup where their opponents had a minimum lead of 16 points.
A Win For A Curry – Phil Knowles (on 21) and Dylan Taylor (25) – took full advantage against Dobrzyn (-1) and Gibson (5) to win 3-2, though they did need all three ends for their wins.
Castle Sports defeated Mine’s A Pint by the same score, taking the tie with the fourth final-point win of their fourteen ends, the previous four games having gone to the deciding end.
Finally JAG, with a 2-0 lead already, completed a win against Hope for the Best by winning the third singles.
The losers picked up a consolation point in a close doubles before conceding to play their league match.