East Lancs. Table Tennis League: Press Report  7/11/15 From Neil  (East Lancs. Table Tennis League Press Officer)Mob 07480 152268

 

Premier division

 

Name                 Played    Points

Old Masters           5           119

Ramsbottom A      4           101

Ramsbottom B      4            91

East Lancs 1st       4           76

K. Ward Plumbing 3          65

Brierfield               3           57

Hyndburn TTC A    3          43

Young Ramsbottom 4       41

Rovers                    3         36

Whalley Hawks      3         31

 

Premier Individual Merit Top 5

(players who haven’t played in at least half the matches plus 1 are excluded as per rules)

Name                          Team                        Sets %     

Howard Whewell    Old Masters                  97.74

Martin Holt           Ramsbottom ‘B’              85.00

Jack Keogh            Brierfield                        81.82

Liam Bedford        Ramsbottom ‘A’              77.27

Peter Lee                 Brierfield                      77.27

 

 

First division      

 Name               Played             Points

KSB A                    5                   123

The Lions              4                   112

Doals Marauders  4                    96

Whalley Eagles     4                    76

Ramsbottom C      4                    71

Mavericks             4                     64

Old Masters B       4                     61

Hyndburn TTC B   3                     51

Tackyfire              3                     43

Whalley Kestrels  3                     26

 

First Division Individual Merit Top 5

 (players who haven’t played in at least half the matches plus 1 are excluded as per rules)

Name                            Team                     Sets %

Matt Harrison          The Lions                    96.43

Daven Argile              KSB A                        83.87

Matt Hodginson         KSB A                        79.07

Neil Hepworth     Doals Marauders             73.77

Ian Mitchell            The Lions                      64.86

 

 

Second division

Name                             Played                         Points

Best Centre Raptors          5                               118

Ramsbottom D                   4                               102

Hyndburners                      4                                 95

Best Centre Jets                5                                  91

Rolling Doals                     4                                  77

Old Masters B                    4                                  75

KSB D                                 4                                  73

KSB C                                 5                                  71

KSB B                                 4                                  56

Brierfield B                        3                                   49

 

Second Division Individual Merit Top 5

(players who haven’t played in at least half the matches plus 1 are excluded as per rules)

 

Name                           Team                             Sets %

Fred Wade              Hyndburners                       87.10

Stephen Siddall      Ramsbottom D                    77.78

Craig Milnes                KSB D                              74.42

Harry Bell               Ramsbottom D                     72.22

Liam Walsh        Best Centre Raptors                 68.97

                 

Third division

Name                         Played                    Points

Whalley Kites               5                           118

Hyndburn TTC C           5                            87

Doals Vikings               4                            73

Best Centre Phantoms 3                            67

Whalley Merlins           3                             54

Slayers                         3                             51

KSB E                            3                            41

Ramsbottom E             2                             36

Whalley Falcons           2                             27

 

 Division Three Individual Merit Top 5

(players who haven’t played in at least half the matches are excluded)

 

Name                            TeamSets                           %

Scott Fleming      Best Centre Phantoms             88.24

Anthony Richardson   Whalley Kites                    75.00

Eric Ronan                   Whalley Kites                    73.33

Joe Holt                     Hyndburn TTC C                   71.93

Andy Wood                       KSB E                            67.65

       

International Gold for East Lancs player!    

First of all the East Lancs. Table Tennis league wish to congratulate ‘Young Ramsbottom’ player Miss Felicity Pickard for her recent International Gold medal success for the GB Para TT team, in winning the Belgian Open last week. This was in the Para TT women’s class 6 . This was a stunning performance for 21 year old Fliss overcoming the top seed and former 2010 world champion on the way. Table Tennis is a sport very adaptable to disabled players of all categories, and ways into the sport and coaching is available through the East Lancs League. (Ring Harry for more information 01254 663451)  

Overall league Summary  

In the Premier Division, newly promoted Old Masters with a new players Colin Parkinson & Duncan Rigby supporting the main act in Howard Whewell, have made an impressive start with 5/5 wins, and as the only Premier team still unbeaten look real contenders to stay on top all season. However despite a loss to Hyndburn , Ramsbottom ‘A’ in second place have a squad of some of the league’s best players and will be ready to challenge for the title. Early strugglers are Rovers and Whalley Hawks, both still looking for their first win.   In Division One there are three unbeaten teams in The Lions, KSB ‘A’ and Doals Marauders. Lions & KSB will not be surprised at that and are likely to dominate the division and claim the two promotion places this season, however newly promoted Marauders, with a season’s goal simply to try and survive first time round in the division, with 4/4 wins will be delighted to have started so well, though are not really serious promotion possibilities. Teams still looking for their first wins are Old Masters ‘A’ & Whalley Kestrels, though in the latter case they have been pitched so far against 3 of the stronger teams and will hope to fair better soon.   The pattern of a promoted team starting well and being unbeaten continues in Division Two with Best Centre Raptors who have played 5 and won 5 thus far. Though they are being cautious about the prospect of promotion two years running, they are continually improving and have every chance of doing so despite the high standard across the board this year in the division. Two teams with the potential to shatter the Raptors dream, and also unbeaten are Ramsbottom ‘D’, and Hyndburners. A team with some good players in the squad, who on paper should be promotion hopefuls, but surprisingly perhaps as a testimony to the strength of the division this year find themselves currently second from bottom are KSB ‘B’. Brierfield and KSB ‘C’ have also started poorly without any wins up to now, but this will be a closely fought division at the top and bottom end and there could be a lot of movement up and down to come.   The most open division and hardest to call at the moment is Division Three. Whalley Kites are top and doing well. Best Centre Phantoms have only played three but are the only team without a loss thus far. The one team without a win are Whalley Falcons, but the team of new youngsters will improve. For info in how to start playing TT or how to join a club contact league development office Harry on Tel 01254 663451  

Burnley Focus

With the existing champions Burnley Boys Club not entering a team this year and their players all playing for different teams, it leaves the Brierfield team to carry the flag in the Premier for the Burnley area. They have started well enough with 2 out of 3 wins, spurred on by Jack Keogh (82%) and Peter Lee (77%).   There are no Burnley based teams this year in Division One, but there are 3 of them in Division Two. Best Centre Raptors, newly promoted to the division have got off to a flying start with 5 straight wins and sitting top of the table. A strong team all round but Liam Walsh is their leading performer presently on 69%. The other Best Centre team, Jets, are also off to a much better start than last year with a couple of wins under their belt already, and although they have lost 3 it was to 3 of the strongest sides. Ian Baskerville their top player with 64% stats. Brierfield ‘B’ have begun very sluggishly with 3 losses and currently foot of the table, but are good enough to fair better as the season progresses.   Burnley is represented by another Best Centre team, Phantoms in Division Three, and with new acquisition Scot Fleming leading the way in the individual merits with a stunning 88%, and with them the only unbeaten team, they could have title ambitions. Best Centre is open to new players and beginners to join their club on a Monday night (Contact Darren for more info on 07736473609)  

Ramsbottom & Rossendale Focus  

In the Premier Division, Ramsbottom boast 3 teams this year and their ‘A’ team despite an early loss should still be serious title contenders (Liam Bedford on 77%). Ramsbottom ‘B’ have won 2/4 with Martin Holt achieving 88% stats. Young Ramsbottom are still looking for their first win, and playing at this level is going to be a challenge for them.   In Division One two Rossendale teams have started well and are unbeaten this far. KSB ‘A’ have some very strong players in the squad this year (Daven Argile 84%, Matt Hodgkinson 79%) and have every chance of gaining promotion, whereas newly promoted Doals Marauders, delighted at their unbeaten start will not expect to stay as high, though hats off to them for achieving four straight wins thus far with Neil Hepworth on 74%. Ramsbottom have their ‘C’ team in Division One who have won 2 out of four and look capable of a top half finish.   Ramsbottom ‘D’ in Division Two have started very well indeed amassing 102 points from four consecutive wins, and despite some strong competition, these may well be favourites for the title this year (Stephen Siddall 78%, Harry Bell 72%). Kay Sreet Baptists have 3 teams in Division Two. KSB ‘B’ has the players to do well, but have not got off to a good start and are second from bottom presently. The ‘C’ team is also struggling with 5 losses, though the ‘D’ team who struggled at the bottom end last year have made a promising start with 2 out of four wins, greatly helped by Craig Milnes 74% stats. Bacup team, Rolling Doals have also won 2/4 and despite just missing on a promotion place last season, they too are finding the competition at this level this year even stiffer. They hope to do better as the season progresses when Clive Shedlow, returning to TT after a 4 year injury lay off, returns to the full level of play he is capable of.   In Division Three, Doals Vikings have won 2 out of four,  Ramsbottom E 1 out of 2, and KSB E 1/3 (Andy Wood 68%). It is too early and too open in this division to see if any of these can challenge for promotion but possibly Ramsbottom ‘E’ may be able to.   For info of how to start playing TT in Ramsbottom / Rossendale please contact Ramsbottom Bryan on 01617975082, Rawtenstall contact Trevor on 07981387755. Bacup contact Neil on 07480 152268