The Spalding and District Table Tennis League took a break from league action to contest the Roy Gibson Memorial Rose Bowl last Wednesday night.
Some 24 members took part in the Castle Sports Complex event, which is played off a handicap up to 31, best of three ends.
Players were organised into four all-play-all groups, with the top two going through to the knockout stages.
That was when the problems started. Two groups had a three-way tie, and the usual tie-breakers – results of games against the other two, and number of ends won – both failed to split them.
With this never happening in previous years a quick meeting between the organisers came up with the idea of playing another end between the three. This was fine for one group, but left the other still level.
In the end, it was decided that the ‘goal difference’ between points scored and those conceded, including any handicap, should decide.
This is what happened with Group A, where Sasha Martin (0 handicap), Tom Chesworth (25) and Stewart Duffill (19) had tied on 4/5. Martin was eliminated on that criteria and Chesworth was awarded top spot as he had beaten Duffill in the original round robin.
Group B also had a tie, but fortunately with only two players, Hannah Gilbert (24) and Phil Knowles (21), both scoring 4/5 with Knowles taking top place. Reece Kerry just missed out on 3/5.
Group C also had two on 4/5, with team mates Jeremy Hitcham (19) and Andrew Hay (22) sharing the honours, but Hitcham having won their game was declared winner.
Daniel Dorey (16), the holder, missed out on 3/5.
The other three-way tie happened in Group D. James Coote won the group on 4/5 to go through, with Tony Dorey, Jonathon Matthews and Garry Wilkinson all vying for second on 3/5.
With the tie breakers not resolving the issue they played another leg, of which Wilkinson won two and qualified for the knockout.
The last eight sees Chesworth face Wilkinson, Knowles meeting Hay, Hitcham playing Gilbert and Coote versus Duffill, with the given handicaps staying in place.
