In a week of few surprises in Division 1 of the Hastings & District Table Tennis League very little changed at either end of the table. With leaders Bexhill A calling off their game with Tigers, Saints A moved to the top with a 9-1 win over Tackleway C. For Saints, Ritchie Venner and Dave Butler recorded straight-games maximums and Andy Syrett, playing up from Division 2, chipped in with two wins. Kevin Rowe notched Tackleway’s consolation.

Saints lead Bexhill on sets difference, but have the advantage of a game in hand.

Hollington Academy A beat Tackleway A 8-2 with Paul Barry unbeaten and Andy Furnival and Basher Obeyed winning two each. Tackleway’s Roger Pingram won two games, both going the distance and Roy Funnell came close to gaining the losers a point with narrow 5-games defeats to both Furnival and Obeyed.

Hollington Academy B beat Hollington Academy C 8-2 with maximums from Rose Rainton and Jamie Martin. Closest game of the night saw Will Goodstone come from 2-1 down to beat Lisa Standen 11-8 in the decider.

Graham Gillett and Pete Robinson were unbeaten for Bexhill C as they beat bottom side Tackleway B 9-1.  Alan McCleave also won two, but he was beaten 11-9, 14-16,

11-0, 11-4 by Adrian Goodrum in Tackleway’s only success.

Bexhill B won 9-1 at Tackleway C where Andy Summers and Yotza Krstic both won three games and John Ellis two. Danny Rickaby picked up Tackleway’s only win with a 3-1 defeat of Hastings Over 50’s champion Ellis.

The League’s knock-out competitions have reached the last sixteen stage. In the main competition, the Watts Cup, the three major contenders have been kept apart with only Hollington Academy A facing First Division opposition in their own B side.

Holders Saints A and Bexhill A face lower Division opponents in Bexhill E and Saints E respectively.

In the Minor Trophy there are only three matches and five byes with favourites Bexhill D and Saints C both receiving byes.