Ramsbottom A sit top of the Premier this week with 4/4 wins after winning a tight ‘derby’ game v club mates Ramsbottom B 25:20, in which 5 of the games went to the wire in the 5th set. Player of the match though was Martin Holt for the B team with a fine 3/3 wins. In second place are Hyndburn TTC A with 3/3 wins, this week overcoming Hyndburners 22:12 with a 100% evening for Mick Moir & 3 wins also for Andrew Jackson. Young Ben Duffy standing in as reserve for the winners did well in stepping up two divisions to take a set off Fred Wade. Another unbeaten team are Burnley Boys Club who with Martin Wyatt untouchable on the night beat Ward & Stobbart away 24:13. Only having played 2 but also unbeaten so far are Clitheroe LMC A, who were victorious 26:15 over early strugglers East Lancs on the back of 3 good wins from Phil Riley. Adam Blezard won 3/3 to help Rovers to their first win of the season 28:12 v The Lions.

The Old Masters currently sit top of division 1, and have had consecutive wins away to KSB C 26:13 with John Thornber & Barry Hall 3/3 and followed it at home 25:16 v Clitheroe LMC B this time with Roger Whewell the player of the match with 3 wins. With 2 games in hand though and likely to challenge the top spots are KSB A & HSC who are the only teams in the division unbeaten but having only played 3 games. Matt Hirst for KSB A again winning 3/3 led them in a 21:15 win over Hyndburn TTC B, whilst HSC won 22:17 v Whalley Eagles spurred on by another 3 /3 wins from Fred Coghlan. Nets N Edges won this week v KSB C 26:13, following a loss v KSB B 15:22. Man of the match in both of these was Net N Edges Ian Beecroft who is personally unbeaten in the season so far. KSB C are struggling in the higher division losing again 16:22 v Brierfield who were aided by Dave Eastwood winning all 3 games.

Only 3 matches to report on this week from Div 2 with Tackyfire still top though having another close loss this week 18:19 to Hyndburn TTC C with Bryan Edwards for Hyndburn showing he can still be useful when called upon winning all 3. Hyndburn TTC C had less joy though v KSB D as the Baptists were in fine form winning 27:12 with great unbeaten performances fro Steve Horner & Neil McKinnon. Doals Army are also going well early on and this week won v Adpak Aces 22:16 with Gerald Laxton & Don Cunliffe leading the charge both winning 3/3.

Doals Marauders having managed to play all their 5 fixtures up to now losing only once are top of Division 3. Ian Mills unbeaten in their two wins this week, 21:19 v Doals Jetstream & 23:12 v KSB F is in good form, though he lost his first singles game of the season to a thus far unbeaten Richard Staines ,as Marauders lost their first match to an impressive looking Hyndburn TTC E 14:22 with the Hyndburn juniors looking like they could feature in the promotion race. The other Hyndburn junior team ‘F’ won their first game 22:13 against other newcomers Doals Vikings. Zac Geldard won 3 for the victors but Paul Milnes also did well for the losers notching up his first two league singles wins. Vikings had even less fortune v Hyndburn TTC E losing at home 9:29, as Elliot Simpson & Burhan Khan went undefeated, though Vikings own promising junior Daniel O’Sullivan gained his first ever league singles win in only his second competitive match. Rolling Doals with Neil Hepworth & Ryan Fallon unbeaten on the night ‘rolled’ over club mates Doals Jetstream 27:12. Jetstream did better though winning KSB F 20:13, aided by super sub Dave Buckley who won 3 without loss.

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