Premier Division

In the premier division Ramsbottom ‘A’ gave newly promoted Hyndburners a taste of the higher standard winning max points as Mandey Winskill, Matthew Fields & Steve McNicholas eased their way to a 30:5 victory. Clitheroe A, featuring Phil Riley, Dave Kay & Mark Hanson also started in devestating fashion with a 30:2 thrashing of the Lions. East lancs lost 15:26 to Burnley Boys as the ‘head boy’ Martin Wyatt went unbeaten on the night.

Hyndburners lost their second game also 10:27 to Ward & Stobbart who have had a good start to the season also winning a second match 26:16 against the other newly promoted side Ramsbottom B giving our hardworking league chairman Ged Simpson an early top spot in the team table to share with his team mates Keith Ward & Keith Jackson.

First Division

In Div 1 KSB ‘A’ led by an impressive Matt Hirst have given notice of their intent and sit at the top of the table with two wins against their club mates KSB B and KSB C 26:16, 30:4 respectivley. Newly formed this season Hyndburn B and newley promoted Clitheroe B have also started well with two wins each. Hyndburn B winning 21:17 verse KSB ‘B’ on the back of a fine unbeaten performance from Tim Fields, and again winning 24:15 verses Whalley Eagles.

Clitheroe ‘B’ overcoming Eagles 22:16 with 3 good wins from Bob Birch and also winning Nets N Egdes 20:18 despite the latter’s fine 3 wins from John Burgoyne. A much improved HSC had a fine away win 22:16 at the expense of the ‘Old Masters’ as Fred Coghlan went unbeaten for HSC. David Eastwood with 3 wins helped Brierfield win away 23:13 against Net N Edges, though a fine unbeaten performance by Jack Keogh including a close 3:2 win over Barry hall was not enough for Brierfiled to avoid defeat to Old Masters 18:21.

Second Division

Tackyfire have made a good start and are on top of division 2 being the only team having played two and won two with a  28:8 v Slayers and in a closer match beat Div 2 newcomers Doals Army 20:17. Despite that loss Army have made a reasonable start winning their second match 26:16 v Misfits as Gerald Laxton & Don Cunliffe took all their games. A quickly improving crop of young players Benn Farrar, Charlie McGrath & Ben Duffy coached By Mick Moir playing for Hyndburn D this year, had a impressive win 25:16 verses Whalley Kestrals with Ben Farrar & Charlie picking up a max 9 points each. Another promising young team is the lads Keiran Cunliffe, Adam Robinson and Jim Atherton who make up Whalley Hawks and had a good win v KSB D 24:17 with Keiran undefeated on the night.  KSB ‘D’ had better fortunes as they beat Adpak Aces 26:13.

Third Division

In Division 3 with Ian Mills in great form having won his first 6 games  with the loss of just 1 set helped Doals Marauders to the top of the table with two good wins  21:17 v clubmates Rolling Doals, and followed it with a 26:6 v newcomers Hyndburn F, though the young newcomers showed enough to indicate they will improve very quickly! KSB E had a close win 19:17 v club friends KSB F though Ross Erwin lost to an impressive Carlton Cooper who got 100% on the night. Ross was impressive himself as he also won all his games and helping KSB E overcome Doals Jestream in a tight game 18:17. Doals Jetstream the week before thumped their own new Doals team ‘Vikings’ 30:1.

Rolling Doals with unbeaten performances from Ryan Fallon & Peter Hepworth easily beat a weaker KSB F who withoutCarltonlost heaviliy  4:27. Hyndburn E playing at Whalley Pheonix narrowly lost 17:19 despite 3 superb wins from Richard Staines.  Whalley Falcons having to play with just two players still managed to win 21:11 v Doals Vikings, thanks to Kim Croyden and Warwick Lewthwaite winning all 18 points between them.

By East Lancs Table Tennis League Press Officer Neil Hepworth