THE FIRST Round of the Warburton Cup, Bolton Table Tennis League's premier cup competition, produced some notable shocks including the defeat of reigning champions Little Lever A.
They were dumped out at the first hurdle by Second Division team Hilton C with a 5-4 scoreline. The win featured a superb treble by Peter Bladen, which included a final set win over Phil Riley to clinch the victory plus one win each for John Brinkworth and Ian Wheeldon.
Six Premier Division teams are through to round two at this time. Hilton A comfortably beat Rushtons 6-3, while Cricketers won 8-1 against a two-man Bolton Evening News A team.
League leaders Hilton Tameside gave the top team in Division One, Hilton B, 6 start and ran out 8-1 winners. Mosses A ran out 7-2 winners against Hilton G and Ramsbottom A proved too strong for Bolton Evening News B, winning 7-2. Farnworth went through on a walk-over.
Five Division One teams went into the draw for Round Two. Heaton A ran out 6-3 winners against Hilton D but the match was very close with five sets decided on the third game. Nomads A beat fellow Division One side Little Lever B 5-4 thanks to Craig Johnsons treble, which included the final set of the night.
Ladybridge A convincingly beat Mosses B 8-1 and Wharton B and Wingates both scored 7-2 wins against lower division opposition.
Three other Second Division teams won through. Halls scraped home 5-4 after being 4-3 down against Ladybridge E, Geoff Hall bagged a treble. Ian Lansdale won his three sets for Little Lever C, who triumphed 5-2 at Nomads B, as did Phil Myers for Ladybridge B, who beat Heaton G 7-2.
Division Three produced five winning teams. Little Lever D had a comprehensive 9-0 win against Second Division Egerton Park, as did Hilton H, who beat Ladybridge F by the same scoreline.
Hilton F ran out 6-3 winners against a two-man Meadow Hill A team and Alan Crompton trebled for Heaton E, who also won 6-3 against Chorley Old Road. Farnworth B's 6-3 win at Halliwell Meths included three wins apiece for John Kofi and John Ainley.
The four successful Division Four teams who went into the next round are Hilton L, who won 6-3 at Ellesmere B with three wins for John Pilkington; Hilton J, for whom Eamon McEntree won the final set to clinch their 5-4 against their I team; Meadow Hill C, who a scored an 8-1 win over Ellesmere A; and Hilton K, who went through by default.
Two match results remain outstanding.
DIVISIONAL Cup draw round one, November 18 - Brain Gittins Cup Premier and Division One: Hilton A v Rams B; Wharton A v Nomads A; Ladybridge A v Horwich Hilton; Little Lever B v Heaton B; Wharton B v Mosses B; Lostock v Hilt/Tameside. Byes Hilton B; Chorley Old Road; Mosses A; Heaton A; Farnworth A; Little Lever A; Rams A; Cricketers; Wingates.
George Yates Divisions Two and Three: Hilton G v BEN A; Farnworth B v Hilton E; Meadow Hill A v Nomads B; Little Lever C v Egerton Park; Meadow Hill B v Rams D; Little Lever D v Heaton D; Ladybridge B v Rushtons; Hilton H v Ellesmere A; Heaton E v Hilton F; Heaton C v Hilton C. Byes Halls; Halliwell Meths; Rams C; Hilton D; Ladybridge C; Ladybridge D.
Ron Hindle Division Four: BEN B v Hilton K; Heaton F v Ellesmere B; Hilton I v Hilton L; Ladybridge E v Hilton J; Ladybridge F v Heaton G. Byes Jubilee; Meadow Hill C; YMCA.
Warburton Cup Round Two, December 16: Meadow Hill B v Rams A; H/Tameside v Little Lever D; Nomads A v Hilton F; Hilton J v Hilton A; Little Lever C v Hilton L; YMCA v Ladybridge C; Heaton F v Wingates; Meadow Hill C v Halls; Lostock v Farnworth B; Ladybridge B v Wharton B; Jubilee v Farnworth A; Hilton H v Rams B/H Hilton; Mosses A v Wharton A/Heaton C; Cricketers v Hilton K; Heaton A v Hilton C; Ladybridge A v Heaton E.
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