The Spalding and District Table Tennis League stepped back into action after the festive break with the first round of the Marylands Cup.
This event is played to 31 starting on individual handicaps, which can vary from single figures up to 25 resulting in some quite lengthy matches.
All seven matches got under way, but three were not completed as one team was a player short.
With the holders splitting, up a fresh name will be on the trophy this year – though both played for different teams with varying results.
One half has turned out for Division One outfit Outsiders this year and faced Division Two’s Hurricane Brothers.
The Brothers found the handicaps to their liking, winning by 4-1 and dropping just the doubles.
However, three of the other four games all went to a deciding end.
The other half is playing in Division Two’s Assassins who met top team South Holland.
Despite Holland taking the first in three, Assassins hit back with the next two.
Holland levelled up, but Assassins took the last to go through.
Division One’s Underdogs faced last year’s runners-up, now under a new name as Hit and Hope. Kelvin Preville brushed aside a handicap of just three to win both his games in straight ends, but in the other three games they were forced to a decider to take the tie 5-0.
In an all top-flight tie, Mine’s a Pint made full use of a double figure lead to secure all the singles against Moulton SE, dropping just one end in the four games and winning 4-1.
In the other matches, JDM and TNC hold 2-0 leads over Rusty Nails and Jokers respectively, while Team TJ and Deeping Lads are tied at 1-1.
One semi-final left over from the hard bat competition saw Preville progress to the final 11-5, 11-5 at the expense of Reece Kerry.
The pair also faced each other in the doubles from the Underdogs/Nets n Edges match from before Christmas, which the former took 11-4, 11-3 11-4 for a 2-1 lead.
Mine’s a Pint and Moulton also played a doubles to complete their match which the latter won 11-1, 11-4, 11-9 to give them a 4-1 win and top spot in the table.
- Anyone else wishing to try out table tennis will be most welcome at Spalding High School Sports Hall on a Tuesday evenings from 7.30pm to 10pm at £4 for the evening.
Visit www.tabletennis365.com/Spalding, which will give contact details and other information.
