On a night devoted to the Guardian Cup competition the Spalding and District Table Tennis League had just 18 members turn out.
Four second round matches were scheduled for last week but, as three matches had not been completed in round one, that was not going to happen.
However, with members being absent only two games were played in one of those.
Skidlids’ Richard Matthews played his singles against Castle Sports, taking both 33-13.
Whether those scores will be good enough for his team to continue is another matter. In the Guardian Cup, that rests on the totals scored by the teams and any handicap awarded to one of them.
The Mine’s a Pint versus Jokers second round tie was also a player short. This was much closer, with one game going each way (33-31 and 16-33).
With one of their stronger players to come for Jokers it remains to be seen who this favours.
With their cup matches mixed up in this process, Nets and Edges and Aches and Pains brought forward a league fixture.
In what proved to be a very tight match Nets and Edges just got home by 3-2. The first two singles were shared, but Aches and Pains took the doubles to lead.
Both the remaining singles went to a fifth end with the Edgers coming from behind to win.
How close it all was is shown by the fact that, of the 20 ends played, in just two did the loser score less than seven points.
Hurricane Brothers decided to forego the chance to play their Guardian Cup in favour of the Marylands semi-final against Win for a Curry.
Dylan Taylor, starting on 22, continued his fine form from the Individuals against opponents on handicaps of 20 and 21 respectively.
He took both his singles 31-26, 31-27 and 26-31, 31-24, 31-29 and was ably assisted by Tom Chesworth to win the doubles 31-26, 26-31, 31-29.
Meanwhile the committee are having to face the issue of the unplayed matches which are now creating a fixture pile-up for the rest of the season.
