East Lancs. Table Tennis League:  Press Report Dec 3rd  2014:

 From Neil Hepworth (East Lancs. Table Tennis League Press Officer)

Email: Hepworth_neil@hotmail.com. Mob 07873834942

Premier division league

Premier Individual Merit Top 5 (players who haven’t played in at least half the matches are excluded)

First division

First Division Individual Merit Top 5 (players who haven’t played in at least half the matches are excluded)

Second division league

Third division league

Overall league Summary

It’s the closest title race in recent memory this year for the Premier Division up to now.  Unbeaten so far and allowing for games in hand and thus still in the challenge for the honours are K.Ward Plumbing, Ramsbottom A, and B.L.C Clarets, who along with current first placed East Lancs 1st with just the one loss could all emerge on top by Christmas. With most of these teams involved in clashes before then with each other, it is hard to call at this stage. K.Ward Plumbing will look to their sponsor and best player Keith Ward to aid their chances (2nd in personal merit table), Ramsbottom to Mandy Winskill (merit:1st) & Martin Wyatt (merit 4th), and B.L.C Clarets to Keith Lee (merit 3rd ) & Dave Kay (merit: 5th). Brierfield as a newly promoted team can be pleased with their start with 3/6 wins and being comfortably mid-table, as can East Lancs 2nd the other newly promoted team who though 2nd at present due to having played more games are in pro-rata terms also well placed mid-table.  Three teams without a win and most likely in danger of relegation at the moment are Rovers, Hyndburn A & The Lions, but with Hyndburn having the likes of Mick Moir at hand to come and play if needed further on into the season the foreboding drop looms most for the other two teams of the trio mentioned. The only team not spoken off as yet are Ramsbottom B (7th), who are not involved in the honours nor likely to be in danger either.

Division One is a closely fought division from top to bottom although the two front runners at the moment have every potential to stay there. These are Hyndburners greatly helped by a superb season so far by Duncan Rigby (merits: 2nd) and Ramsbottom C with their own emerging star in Tim Fields (merits:4th ). Ramsbottom may fancy they can go above Hyndburners to top place as they are only 12 points behind them but with a game in hand. Whalley Hawks & Whalley Eagles are 3rd & 4th but I don’t think can threaten the top two this season, though 6th placed Old Masters A & 7th place KSB A with two games in hand each have the potential to! Old Masters have the division’s best player to help them in Howard Whewell (merits:1st), and KSB A, worthy of mention as the only remaining unbeaten team in the division have the ever consistent Trevor Elkington (merits: 5th ). KSB B are 5th at present and with the likes of Daven Argile (merits:3rd ) have the capacity on a given night to go toe to toe with any team. The bottom four who are fighting around the relegation zone at present are in descending order: Tackyfire, Mavericks, Hyndburn B & Whalley Kestrals, though perhaps most worried should be Hyndburn B & Mavericks without a win to their name at present.

In Division Two Rolling Doals, anticipating problems in the New year, have been proactive in bringing games forward, and sit top by virtue of playing more games than anyone else. That said, they are doing well and their points per game average suggests in real terms they would probably be 3rd anyway at present. However, the real pace setters of Division two and the only unbeaten team of the division are Ramsbottom D (currently 4th with games in hand on those above). Ramsbottom have a strong squad, with David Cain going well in the merit table (4th) and with even better players like Ian Loyd to call upon when required (1 unbeaten match appearance thus far), I can’t see anyone refusing them the title this year. Currently second and building up a head of steam after a slow start are Doals Marauders who with two top 5 merit players at present in Neil Hepworth (1st) and Ian Smith (2nd), and with the formidable Cliff Dale having played his first game for them, will hope they can stay there. Old Masters B are a dogged force to be reckoned with and will lay down for no-one and are 3rd currently, in part due to Albert Pickles performing well (merits: 5th). Brierfield B have not started as well as may have been expected for them in this Division but could with a good run still get amongst the mix, especially if best player Peter Howard (3rd in merits) plays regularly. On the other hand, they along with Hyndburn C, Best Centre Jets, KSB C & D  are close enough on points and standard to not be safe as yet from the relegation fight, as there are no obvious ‘weak’ teams this year in Div 2 and with any team on the night capable of beating the other it could still all change!

In Division Three, Best Centre Raptors sit top with 5/5 wins, spurred on by Liam Walsh & Dylan Storey (merits: 1st & 4th). But Ramsbottom E having caught up in games also with 5/5 are only a few points behind in second place (Merits: Bryan Edwards 2nd, Chris Leaves 3rd).  It will be an interesting battle when they face each other next week and we shall witness if the burgeoning enthusiastic energy of Best can overcome the resilient awkward experience of this Ramsbottom team. Going under the radar down in 7th place are Slayers, but who when they catch up with games, and in light of the new acquisition of former Div 1 player Alan Duckworth as well as merit placed Paul Waddington (5th), could also add to the competitive edge in the promotion race. Not to be discounted just yet though are two other good teams doing well in Whalley Falcons currently 3rd , & KSB E currently 4th, who both have strong players available to them that if played more regularly could enhance their promotion prospects. These 5 good teams make the battle for promotion the hardest in a long time in Div 3 and also have really raised the bar in standard of play this year for the division. The other four teams in the division can’t realistically entertain any hopes of promotion this year but Doals Vikings, Whalley Merlins, Hyndburn D & Best Centre Phantoms are all enjoying the great game that Table Tennis is. For info in how to start playing TT or how to join a club contact league development office Harry Rawcliffe on Tel 01254 663451

Burnley Focus

Burnley have six teams in the East Lancs TT League this year, two in the premier Division, two in div 2 and two in div 3.

B.L.C Clarets though sounding a long way off the top at 6th are one of only 3 clubs unbeaten in the Premier Division and with games in hand allowed for are one of four teams currently challenging for the title with the possibility of being on top by Christmas. Clarets’ players Keith Lee and Dave Kay are 3rd & 5th in the individual performance standings. Brierfield (based in the Methodist Church) who were promoted this time around to the Premier have made a satisfying start with 3 out of 6 wins and will be pleased to be well above any relegation trouble at moment finding themselves mid-table. Peter Wood is their best performer on 56%.

In Division two Brierfield ‘B’ have made a less of an impression up to now as they may have expected despite the efforts of Peter Howard who is 3rd in the merits. They are only just above the relegation zone, but with games in hand on some teams probably don’t need to panic just yet. Just above them are Best Centre Jets who will be pleased to have had their second win last week beating 3rd placed Old Masters on back of a great individual performance by Jordan Moore who won all his games with just 1 set dropped on the night.

Best centre represent Burnley with two teams in Division 3: Raptors who are first with 5/5 wins. Liam Walsh tops the merits, Dylan Storey is 4th and Richard Tokeley is 6th. The big game of the season comes for them next week against Ramsbottom E who are only a few points behind. This will decide who the frontrunner is by Christmas. Will ‘Best’ be good enough? Should be a great game. Best Centre Phantoms are struggling at the bottom but improving all the time in their debut season.

 Best Centre is open to new players and beginners to join their club on a Monday night (Contact Darren Wright for more info on 07736473609)

Rossendale Focus

13 of the 39 teams competing in the East lancs Table Tennis league are Rossendale based across 3 clubs in Ramsbottom, Rawtenstall and Bacup.

Ramsbottom have teams in all the divisions and have teams challenging for honours in each of them this year, with 3 out of 5 of them unbeaten so far. They boast two good teams in the Premier Division, the B team is holding its own just below mid-table, but the ‘A’ team with 4/4 wins, though 4th at present but with games in hand, has a real prospect of challenging for the title. They have some of the league’s best players in Mandy Winskill (1st in merits) and Martin Wyatt (4th in merits). In Division One, Ramsbottom C are second, with just 1 loss, but only 12 points behind the top place with a game in hand and with the great form shown by Tim Fields (4th in merits) will be optimistic of promotion this season. Also in Division Two the ‘D’ team are the team most clearly looking title prospects and are unbeaten with 4/4 wins. David Cain features in the merit top 5 for them in 5th place at present with fast improving teenager Adam Kensit in 7th place. These two with Ian Loyd also to call upon as needed should ensure a trouble free season for the D team and though currently 4th, when games in hand are played they should have a clear and decisive lead at the top by Christmas. Ramsbottom E in Division 3 are also unbeaten after 5 games and just 3 points behind their closest rivals above them, Best Centre Raptors, who they play in a crucial game next week. E teams Bryan Edwards & Chris Leaves are 2nd & 3rd in the merits. For info of how to start playing TT in Ramsbottom contact Bryan Edwards on 01617975082,

Rawtenstall’s Kay Street Baptists (known as KSB) have five teams competing this year. ‘A’ & ‘B’ teams are in Division One. The ‘A’ team though down in 7th place could still challenge for the honours as they are the only remaining unbeaten team in div 1 and have games in hand. Trevor Elkington is helping their prospects by being 5th in the merits, though a KSB player doing even better individually is the ‘B’ teams Daven Argile (merits: 3rd), the ‘B’ team being a respectable 5th at present. KSB have two teams struggling at the foot of the table in Division two, but its close enough to hope still to do better and they both have some good players who could improve their fortunes yet. But its time to make a charge now if they want to be doing better by Christmas. KSB E in Division Three are 4th, and are a strong team for the division but the standard at the top end is unusually high for Division 3 this season and 4th may be a good as they can expect. For info of how to start playing TT in Rawtenstall contact Trevor Elkington on 07981387755.

Bacup based (Weir), Doals Community Centre Table Tennis Club have 3 teams this year. Rolling Doals, aided by more games played are top of Division Two and Doals Marauders are 2nd . The pro-rata position for Rolling Doals is really 3rd but Marauders led by Neil Hepworth & Ian Smith (merits: 1st & 2nd ), and now joined by new good signing Cliff Dale, should be good enough to hold onto a promotion place. After Doals disappointingly just missing promotion for the last two seasons here’s hoping this time around!  Doals Vikings play in Division 3 and for one reason or another have ended up a player short in four of their 6 matches this season, and find themselves 5th. If they can field 3 players a game the rest of the season they will do better! Youngster Thomas Sumner is their best player this year doing well on 61%. For info of how to start playing TT in Bacup contact Neil Hepworth on 07873834942.