The Bolton Table Tennis League took another break from league matches last week for the Divisional Cup Competitions. Since this was the first round, there were quite a number of byes to get the teams correctly lined up for future rounds. In the Brian Gittins Cup which involves teams from the Premier and Division One, it was surprisingly reported that the top team in the tables, Glodwick, were unable to raise a team thereby giving league rivals Ramsbottom Town A a walkover to the next round. Premier Hilton A made full use of their 58.5 points start when they took on compatriots Radcliffe Cricket Club. Hilton A hung onto their lead and despite Radcliffe closing the gap, Hilton A, ran out winners 376.5-333. Farnworth SC A did not have any trouble. They had a mere 30.5 point start against Hilton G, but ran out winners 405.5-267.

In the George Yates Trophy which involves Divisions Two and Three teams, Division One’s Brass Zone took on Division Three’s Albany who had a 135.5 start. While most of the scores were reasonably even, Albany, unfortunately, got off to a bad start when Phil Petts from Brass Zone took on Stephen Lawless winning by 44 points to 8. Phil also had a  44-12 win over Daniel Dudley halfway through the match and from then on Albany could not recover with Brass Zone running out winners 386-361.5.

Meadow Ben were definitely going to get one team through to the next round from Division Two as the B team had been drawn against their own C team who had a start of 70.5 points. After set five the C team still held the lead 220-207. In set 6 Steven Robertson then had a 44-12 win over Ian Wheeldon putting the B team in the lead, a lead which they were able to hold on to running out winners 366-339.5.

Further results are still to come in. In the meantime, the league resumes this week with the penultimate week of league matches before the Christmas break. A point at which, if last year’s table were anything to go, by gives a very good indication of how the final tables will stand at the end of the season.