IN Division 1, a close match between league heavyweights Soham and Haddenham saw the former manage to hold current league champions to a 5-5 draw.

Table tennis

Martin Freeland maintained his great form this season by winning three games for Soham, including a nail-biting 13-11 final set victory over Patrick Mohan who had been 10-9 ahead. Earlier, Patrick had narrowly beaten Tony Everitt 11-9 in the final set. Everitt secured victories over Liam and Kieran Mohan to add to the other two games for Soham, whilst new boy Jay Johnson found the pace and spin of the Mohans a little too much to handle.

Looking at a possible defeat, Haddenham duo Liam and Kieran Mohan raised their games to beat Freeland and Everitt in the doubles to secure the draw. The standard of the two teams is reflected in the fact that the Mohans of Haddenham and Tony Everitt of Soham all had a 100 per cent records prior to this match – but none of them did afterwards.

Ely 1 beat Fulbourn 1 7-3 in a hard-fought tie, winning four of the five fifth set deciders. Hugo Brown of Ely continued his excellent form with success in all three singles, including a fifth set 11-9 against Terry Lane, then later joined Andrew Maguire to take the doubles. Jim Reary provided the primary resistance for Fulbourn, although he had to work hard with four of his games going to five legs.

The match of the evening was between Caroline Wright and Maguire. Wright looked to have broken Maguire, winning the second and third games to 8 and 3 respectively but Maguire managed to collect enough resolve to take the fourth set 13-11 and then survive two match points in the fifth before winning 14-12.

Comrades 1 beat Fulbourn 2, 9-1, Mirek Pazdzior somewhat inevitably victorious in his three singles. He was well backed up by Syd Dunster who also won three, despite being taken to five by both Max Schwiening and Harris Ryder. Mark Lillyman won more easily against Schwiening and Harris Ryder but came unstuck against Hamish Ryder who scored Fulbourn’s only point.

Rhys Davies and Rob Boyce were on song for Ellesmere, winning all their singles in the 7-3 victory over St Georges. David Wiseman took a leg off all his St Georges’ opponents but failed to gain a win. He joined Davies in the doubles to secure a successful result over Anne Chambers and Jannett Klinke.

In Division 3, the Fulbourn 4 versus Comrades 5 match was one of those happy occasions when all the players won at least one match. Howard Leek was a comfortable winner in his three singles. Tim Leek battled away to win two, needing the fifth to overcome Syd Rushton but going down 11-9 in the fifth to Pete Claringbold. All David Leek’s matches went to five, losing to Rushton and Andy Manning but squeezing home against Claringbold to give Fulbourn 4 the 6-4 victory.