Bolton Table Tennis League

(sponsored by CE Tolladay & Sons Ltd)

THE first round of the Warburton Cup featured the new points handicapping system which the league will use in cup competitions this season.

The match result will be decided on the total points scored, over nine sets of four games, plus any handicap awarded, and the team scoring the highest number of points wins the match. Although there has been quite a variation in the number of point’s difference at the end of individual matches, the early results are encouraging.

The closest result was a seven-point victory by Second Division BEN A who received a 42-point start from Heaton D of the First Division. All three of their players, John Dodd, Mike Heaton and Phil Calvert gained points in a match that was nip and tuck right to the end.

An interesting result was the eight-point win by Little Lever A over fellow Premier Division team Ramsbottom A.

On a 14-point start, Little Lever’s Ron Durose, Graham Jeffries and Steve McNicholas out scored Rammy in four of the nine sets to give them the win, Division One team Nomads A, on seven points start, ran out winners by 10 points over current holders of the Warburton Cup, Hilton Tameside of the Premier Division. Their trio, Dennis Collier, Clive Taylor and Derek Watmough, managed to keep ahead after each set to record their impressive win.

Premier Division team Little Lever B gave Second Division Ladybridge B a 140-point start and managed a victory by 27, which is less than one point a game.

Phil Riley, Roy Costello and Ian Lansdale scored consistently, only dropping below the 44 maximum points in two sets.

The Hilton B trio of Dave Andrews, John Biggins and Allan Tomlinson from Division One beat their D team from Division Two by 30 points. Giving a start of 63 points, they moved ahead by two points on the seventh set and consolidated their win from there.

Premier Division Radcliffe CC beat Division One team St Catherine’s B, who fielded a weak team, by 40 points.

Hilton H moved ahead of fellow Third Division team St Catherine’s E, who received a 30-point start in the seventh set of the night, resulting in a win by 13 points for the Hilton trio Alan Revell, Malcolm Wilcock and Tony Mason.

Second Division Nomads B gave Division Four team Hilton J 182 points start and came away with a 53-point victory. Brett Haslam, Keith Dale and Martin Howarth all scored a maximum 44 points in all but one of the sets to secure their win.

Farnworth TTC B of Division Four received a 21-point start from Third Division Ladybridge C and scored a comfortable victory by 67 points.

Nathan Patel, Sam Evans and Daniel Harris outscored their opponents in seven of the nine sets to seal their win.

BEN B of Division Three received 28 points start from Second Division Little Lever D, but were soundly beaten by 86 points. The Little Lever team of Alan Lansdale, Brian Hardman and Keith Mills outscored their opponents in all nine sets.

Division Two team Farnworth TTC A, on their visit to Fourth Division Boyzone, gave their opponents a 119- point start, and came away with a victory by 106 points. Their trio of Graham Clayborough, Kirit Chauhan and Matthew Leach each scored the maximum 44 points in all the sets.

Hilton F of the Third Division entertained Division Four side Heaton H who received 119 points start. Again the Hilton trio of Brian Young, Garry Hibbert and Barek Young scored maximum points in all but one set to win by 132 points, There were three walkovers for Heaton E, Meadow Hill B and Little Lever C, and two matches are outstanding.

Results: BEN A bt Heaton D by 7 pts; Radcliffe CC bt St Catherine’s B by 40 pts; Hilton H bt St Catherine’s E by 13 pts; Farnworth TTC B bt Ladybridge C by 67 pts; Hilton B bt Hilton D by 30 pts; Nomads B bt Hilton J by 53 pts; L Lever D bt BEN B by 86 pts; Hilton F bt Heaton H by 132 pts; L Lever A bt Ramsbottom a by 8 pts; Nomads A by Tameside by 10 pts; Farnworth TTC A bt Boyzone by 106 pts; L Lever B BT Ladybridge B by 27 pts.

Warburton Cup second round draw January 4, 2010: Hilton G v Farnworth TTC A; Hilton H v Heaton E; Farnworth SC v Nomads A; Heaton C/Hilton K v Little Lever C; Ladybridge A v St Catherine’s D; Coburg v BEN A; Farnworth TTC B v Nomads B; Meadow Hill B v Heaton B; Little Lever D v St Paul’s Peel; Burning Desire v Hilton F; Heaton G v Hilton I; Hilton B v Irlam Steel; Little Lever A v Radcliffe CC; St Catherine’s F v Little Lever B; Wingates v Heaton F; Meadow Bank v Hilton C.