Table Tennis Soham Comrades II were outplayed by Fulbourn as they were beaten 5-0 in the final of the Ely and District Table Tennis Handicap Cup final.

The match opened with Martin Spott (8) of Fulbourn and Rob Wallis (7) of Soham Comrades playing very tentatively.

Wallis settled the quickest to take a seven point lead and though Spott threatened to pull back, Wallis took the first 31-28. More effort from Spott to put something on the ball plus his greater accuracy saw Wallis tending to over-hit - second game to Spott 31-19.

The same pattern continued into the decider with Wallis just unable to get into it. All his attempted hits started to go astray and Spott took the leg, 31-17.

In the next encounter, a very scrappy first game fell 31-28 to Fulbourn’s Richard Hatley (9) after being behind nearly the whole game to Bela Szabo (9). Only one exciting rally brought the largely mute crowd to applause. The second game saw more care by both players in their build-up to the big hit. However, Szabo was made to over-hit and miss - 31-21 to Hatley.

A match of extravagant serves swiftly generating a big hit which sometimes landed was the pattern between Jannek Hauser (5) and Kin Choi Chan (8). Hauser took the first leg 31-28 and also a big lead in the second. At this point Kin threatened a comeback but Hauser’s control saw him home 31-29.

The closest and most exciting match of the evening saw a most inventive Szabo hit some spectacular winners against Spott but with plenty of errors to balance it up. Spott usually put it back, mixing power with heavy top, to take the first 31-26. Szabo jumped into a big lead in the second with more backhand hits in evidence. Spott clawed back most of this lead but not all - 31-29 to Szabo. The decider was more open, with both players on the attack. Spott made fewer mistakes and ran out the winner, 31-29.

Kin had no answer to Hatley’s constant probing and resorted to his big hits but after Hatley had mastered his serve most of them missed. Match to Hatley, 31-21, 31-24 to give Fulbourn the cup.