Latest results, tables & merits 5th March 2012
From Neil Hepworth (East Lancs. Table Tennis League match reporter & Press Officer)
Email: Hepworth_neil@hotmail.com. Mob 07873834942
With the East Lancs. Table Tennis league about ¾ through now for most teams here is the latest standing and this weeks match reports:
Premier Division
Team Played Won Drawn Lost Pts
1. Hyndburn TTC A 14 14 0 0 376
2. Clitheroe LMC A 13 12 0 1 327
3. Ramsbottom A 14 8 1 5 322
4. Burnley Boys Club 14 11 0 3 314
5. Ramsbottom B 14 5 0 9 260
6. East Lancs 14 6 0 8 258
7. Ward & Stobbart 14 6 1 6 240
8. Rovers 13 2 0 11 199
9. Hyndburners 14 2 1 11 177
10. The Lions 13 0 1 12 111
Individual merit tables: Top 5 (discounted anyone with less than 70 sets played)
Name Team %
1. Michael Moir Hyndburn TTC A 92.31
2. Andrew Jackson Hyndburn TTC A 86.81
3. Mandy Winskill Ramsbottom A 73.61
4. Martin Wyatt Burnley Boys Club 70.70
5. Dave Kay Clitheroe LMC A 67.14
In the Premier This week Ramsbottom ‘B’ had a good win 24:17 against their own ‘A’ team, with Les Phillipson winning 3/3, though Ramsbottom ‘A’ remain 3rd behind Clitheroe LMC ‘A’ in second spot and an undefeated Hyndburn TTC ‘A’ in top spot and with just 4 games left look certain to be champions again. Ward & Stobbart have probably done enough to stay safe in the top flight having beat Hyndburners 22:11on the back of 3/3 for Keith Jackson, though Hyndburners have a lot to do in the remaining games if they are to rise above the relegation zone of the bottom two clubs. The Lions seem sure for the drop well behind on the bottom.
Division One
Team Played Won Drawn Lost Pts
1. Old Masters 15 10 0 5 309
2. KSB A 12 10 1 1 308
3. KSB B 15 7 1 7 299
4. Clitheroe LMC B 14 10 0 4 289
5. Hyndburn TTC B 14 7 0 7 275
6. Brierfield 13 9 0 4 264
7. Nets 'N' Edges 15 5 0 10 258
8. HSC 13 5 1 7 232
9. Whalley Eagles 13 3 0 10 205
10. KSB C 14 1 1 12 166
Individual merit tables: Top 5 (discounted anyone with less than 70 sets played)
Name Team %
1. Matt Hirst KSB A 85.39
2. Matt Hodgkinson KSB A 75.26
3. Fred Coghlan HSC 70.30
4. David Allen Hyndburn TTC B 70.00
5. David Eastwood Brierfield 67.57
In Division One Clitheroe LMC ‘B’ gave their promotion hopes a boost as they won 26:16 v KSB ‘C’ with Scott Thompson the man of the match winning all his 3 games but all in 5 set tussles! Whalley Eagles scraped the narrowest of home wins 21:20 v Nets ‘N’ Edges with the ‘Edgy’ Ian Beecroft for the losing team gaining 3/3. KSB ‘B’ with Ray Kay unbeaten this week put themselves in contention for promotion after a great 28:10 demolition of the Old Masters. With Jack Keogh gaining 100% stats in Brierfield’s game v Hyndburn TTC ‘B’ they also had a good victory 24:15. KSB ‘A’ currently in second spot by just 1 point but with 2 or 3 games in hand on the others look sure favourites for winning the division One title, but the second promotion spot looks wide open and to be decided in the last few games between Old Masters, KSB ‘B’ & Clitheroe LMC ‘B’. At the other end KSB ‘C’ look doomed for the drop & look most likely to be joined by Whalley Eagles though they could still theoretically with a very good finish just avoid it, but it looks too much to ask at this stage.
Division Two
Team Played Won Drawn Lost Pts
1. KSB D 14 11 0 3 328
2. Whalley Hawks 14 11 0 3 320
3. Hyndburn TTC C 13 10 0 3 293
4. Tackyfire 14 7 0 7 282
5. Whalley Kestrels 14 6 0 8 279
6. Hyndburn TTC D 12 9 0 3 262
7. Adpak Aces 15 6 0 9 256
8. Doals Army 12 5 0 7 209
9. The Misfits 11 1 0 10 151
10. Slayers 13 0 0 13 140
Individual merit tables: Top 5 (discounted anyone with less than 70 sets played)
Name Team %
1. Ben Farrar Hyndburn TTC D 79.17
2. Elton Atkins Tackyfire 74.00
3. Steve Horner KSB D 73.60
4. Charlie McGrath Hyndburn TTC D 71.57
5. Bryan Edwards Hyndburn TTC C 71.14
KSB ‘D’ are back on top of Division Two by 8 points after a victory 22:16 at home to Doals Army. No-one was unbeaten on the night and a surprising game was an outstanding final game performance from Army’s Don Cunliffe who beat merit table high flyer Steve Horner by 3 sets to 1. Other promotion hopefuls Whalley Hawks with reserve Eric Ronnan having to stand in at the last minute struggled to an 18:16 home win over an improving Adpak Aces, with Kieran Cunliffe again in good form winning all his to help the home side. Adpak Aces had a second game this week and with Paul McGovern achieving 100% on the night & John Farrow also with 3/3, the Aces slew the Slayers 25:12. This Division is wide open yet with KSB ‘D’ & Hawks respectively best placed but still catchable by the two Hyndburn sides (‘C’ & ‘D’) though Hyndburn TTC ‘D’ will need a good finish with Ben Farrar & Charlie McGrath featuring together in their remaining matches to keep their promotion possibility and to take any advantage of their two games in hand. This weeks game between Hyndburn TTC ‘D’ & Whalley Hawks could be a crucial game in deciding this. Slayers & Misfits are more or less sure of relegation from this Division.
Division Three
Team Played Won Drawn Lost Pts
1. Hyndburn TTC E 15 9 1 5 315
2. Doals Marauders 15 9 1 5 309
3. Rolling Doals 13 10 0 3 304
4. Doals Jetstream 14 8 0 6 291
5. Whalley Falcons 14 7 0 7 276
6. Whalley Phoenix 13 5 0 8 239
7. KSB E 11 9 0 2 229
8. KSB F 12 8 0 4 212
9. Hyndburn TTC F 14 2 0 12 147
10. Doals Vikings 15 0 0 15 118
Individual merit tables: Top 5 (discounted anyone with less than 70 sets played)
Name Team %
1. Carlton Cooper KSB F 86.25
2. Neil Hepworth Rolling Doals 86.11
3. Richard Staines Hyndburn TTC E 84.73
4. Steve Nightingale Whalley Falcons 81.01
5. Ross Erwin KSB E 78.07
Hyndburn TTC ‘E’ are going from strength to strength at the moment and with 15 played are top and well placed now for promotion if they can finish well in their last 3 games. This was helped by a brilliant victory away this week over KSB ‘E’ who had only lost one game before this all season. The young Hyndburn team won by just 1 point 20:19 in a match which saw no-one unbeaten and a rare loss for Richard Staines 2:3 to KSB ‘E’s Michael Mullarkey. Rolling Doals will still fancy their chances as they are in 3rd place just 11 points behind the top spot but with two games in hand over the two teams above them. This was on the back of two good wins 30:6 at home to Hyndburn TTC ‘F’ with the young men Ryan Fallon, Peter Hepworth, Isaac Alderson giving nothing away, and then with very good away win against a strong Whalley Falcons side 24:12 (Neil Hepworth 3/3). This weeks clash between Rolling Doals and Hyndburn TTC ‘E’ will be important in this title race. Doals Jetstream are still in the promotion fight in 4th place but lost some ground this week losing 12:23 at home to Whalley Falcons as Steve Nightingale gained 100% stats & Warwick Lewthwaite played beyond his normal level to win two and just lose the 3rd in 5 sets. Doals Marauders in second spot just 6 points behind Hyndburn TTC ‘E’ are also still very much in the running for promotion with 3 games to play and won this week 27:9 v Doals Vikings with Ian Mills with 100% on the night.
KSB ‘F’ inspired by Carlton Cooper’s merit topping performances kept up their 8 match unbeaten run, this week v Whalley Phoenix winning 19:14 (Carlton with 100% on the night).