There were two crucial matches in the Hastings & District Table Tennis League Division Two last week.

On Tuesday, Saints B had a fine 8-2 win at Nalgo A with Ron Davenport unbeaten and Jamie Martin and Andre Keen winning twice. Paul Hyland won twice for Nalgo, including a win from two games down over Jamie Martin in the opening set of the match. Saints then reeled off five wins before Hyland beat Keen 3-1 before losing out to Davenport 9-11 in the fifth. Keen wrapped up full points and top spot with a win over Mike Courtnage.

The following night, Hollington A went visited Monarchs A without Kevin Barry, who was unavailable. Despite another maximum from Shaun Godfrey, Hollington had to settle for a 5-5 draw with Bob Lowe and Alison Jordan winning two each, plus the doubles, for Monarchs. Saints now lead by two points.

There was a plethora of drawn matches in Division Two, with Tackleway D rolling back the years to hold Tackleway C with Alan Blackman winning three and Owen Hatter two for the D side and Adrian Goodrum two for the C.

Tigers A v Bexhill G also finished in deadlock with a maximum for Tina Beaney and two from John Bradbury for Bexhill and two from Tigers’ Dave Mitchell.

Bexhill F and Tackleway E ended 5-5 with Tackleway’s Mike Charter unbeaten and Bexhill’s Harvey Webb and Norman Beaney winning two apiece.

Focus in Division Three has now switched to the contest for second place, currently held by Hollington C who did not play last week. Bexhill I are now three points behind Hollington after a 7-3 defeat of two-man Monarchs B, for whom Peter Harding won two.

Tackleway F are level with Bexhill, after a great run in the second half of the season,

and they beat Hollington D with a Kevin Eastman maximum and two from Brian Leggett. Jo Clarke won two for the losers.

Nalgo B have probably avoided the wooden spoon and handed it to their opponents with an 8-2 win over Tackleway G. Ron Spencer won three and Eddie Weir and Paul Courtel two each for Nalgo and Mike Cruttenden won two for Tackleway.