Bolton Table Tennis League

Sponsored by C E Tollady & Sons Ltd

The second round of the Warburton Cup produced a thrilling battle in the all-First Division clash between Ladybridge A and top-of-the-table Heaton A.

Heaton, represented by Paul Ward, Steve Barber and sub Paul Mort gained an early advantage as they moved into a three-point lead after the second set.

The Ladybridge trio of Craig Bradbury, Eddie Simon and Alex Waring, who began with 28 points start, responded by regaining the lead after the third set which they held until the penultimate set.

They fell two points behind and then, in the final set, Ward scored 15 points more than Bradbury to clinch the victory by 17 points.

Premier Division Burning Desire gave Third Division Hilton F 210 points start but came out on top by 18 points.

Burning Desire’s Dave Smith, Lindsey Reynolds and Kevin Chapman beat a Hilton team consisting of Brian Young, Gary Hibbert and sub Adam Smart.

Hilton held an ever-reducing lead right through to the eighth set when they were nine points ahead, but Smith clawed 27 points back against Young in the final set to clinch the win.

Division Three team Hilton H, on 77 points start, lost to visitors Heaton E from Division Two by 33 points.

The Hilton side of Malcolm Wilcock, Tony Mason and sub James Storey held the lead up to the sixth set where they fell behind by two points.

From there the Heaton trio of Paul McCormick, Frank Green and Steve Woods consolidated their lead to record the 33-point win.

Nomads A from Division One visited Farnworth SC from Division Three who received 196 points start. The Nomads team of Dennis Collier, Derek Watmough and sub Brett Haslam reeled in the deficit on the penultimate set and ran out winners by 49 points despite the best efforts of John Ainley, John Kofi and John Rothwell for Farnworth.

In the all-Premier Division match, Little Lever A booked their place in the third round with a 48-point victory over Radcliffe CC.

Played from scratch Little Lever fielded Ron Durose, Graham Jeffries and Steve McNicholas, while Jim Chadwick, Rob Hall and Mick Dore played for Radcliffe.

The current leaders of Division Four, Farnworth TTC B, received 168 points start and suffered a 50-point defeat at the hands of Nomads B from the Second Division.

It was in the seventh set that the Nomads team, of Gareth Palmer, John Davis and Martin Howarth moved ahead by three points, and followed in sets eight and nine with a combined total of plus 47 points to clinch their 50-point win.

Farnworth juniors Nathan Patel, Daniel Harris and Sam Evans gave a good account of themselves in their first season in the league.

Mark Martin, Alan Lansdale and Brian Hardman, of Division Two team Little Lever D, gave Division Three side St Paul’s Peel’s trio of Mick Murray, Rhys McIntyre and Dave Waite 77 points start and ran out winners by 83 points.

The round was disrupted by the adverse weather conditions which resulted in five matches cancelled and three conceded.

The three teams who went through on a concession were Hilton I, Little Lever B and Hilton C. One of the cancelled matches has now been played with Little Lever C winning at Hilton K.

Results Heaton E bt Hilton H by 33 pts; Nomads A bt Farnworth SC by 49 pts; Heaton A bt Ladybridge A by 17 pts; Nomads b bt Farnworth TTC B by 50 pts; Little Lever D bt St Paul’s Peel by 83 pts; B Desire bt Hilton F by 18 pts; Little Lever A bt Radcliffe CC by 48 pts; Walk Overs, Hilton I, Little Lever B Hilton C; Other winners Little Lever C and Farnworth TTC A.

Round three (January 25) Nomads B v Hilton B or Irlam Steel; Coburg or BEN A v Farnworth TTC A; Little Lever D v Little Lever A; Little Lever C v Heaton E; Burning Desire v Hilton I; Wingates or Heaton F v Meadow Hill B or Heaton B; Little Lever B v Hilton C; Heaton A v Nomads A.