There were some interesting results including the leading teams across 3 of the 4 Divisions of the Doric Insurance sponsored senior leagues this week as all 4 Divisions remain to be closely contested.

The big match of the week was between title rivals Whistlers A and Lions B. The sides were level on points heading into the encounter with the Lions side were yet to taste defeat. The result earlier this season was a 5-5 draw, however the Whistlers side battled through to a narrow 6-4 win this time in a fixture where reserves were present and played a part in both sides success. For the Whistlers side Josh Stacey put in an excellent man of the match performance which saw him defeat Phil Ogier, Sam Clark and 2nd Division reserve Nye Matthew. This was however far from straightforward as he needed the full 5 sets to defeat Matthew in his opening match before he navigated past both Ogier and Clark in 4 sets. Ryan Gilson crucially edged a tight 5 set win over Clark in a match where he trailled the deciding end 9-8 before taking it 12-10. The doubles was another pivotal rubber for the Whistlers side as it saw Stacey and Gilson fight back from 2-1 down to beat Ogier and Clark 11-8 in the decider. The final win came for Whistlers reserve Mark Pipet who defeated Clark in straight sets in the match opener. For the defeated Lions side Ogier beat Pipet and Gilson in straight sets, whilst Matthew played some great table tennis to earn 2 big 5 set singles wins over the same duo.

Lions A remain level on points at the top with Whistlers A, albeit with a slightly stronger games ratio. They too were pushed close this week, but edged past 5th placed side Lions C 6-4. Ben Foss was sharp and in great form in the encounter as he defeated Paul Hainsworth, Andy Gill and Charlotte in Casey in singles action for the loss of just 50 points over the 9 ends contested. He also teamed well with Ryan Bichard to defeat Hainsworth and Casey in straight sets in the doubles clash. Bichard was the player to get the league leaders over the line, however he was challenged on his way to these wins. His first win of the night turned out to be the most important of these as it saw him battle back from a deficit in the deciding 5th end against Gill to win 11-7. His other win against Casey was also hard fought and done over 4 sets. Each of the C side earned singles wins over Steve Ozanne, whilst Hainsworth added a further straight sets win over Bichard.

Whistlers C earned their first point of the season with a surprise 5-5 draw against 4th placed side Whistlers B. Matthew Casey is starting to return to a bit of form and his confidence would have been boosted by his initial 5 set win over Ben Sharp which he pinched 13-11. He followed this up with a comfortable straight sets singles win over Paula Le Ber. It was Joseph Bourgaize that performed best for the C side though as he emphatically beat Sharp in straight sets with a great performance, having already earlier beaten Le Ber in 4 sets. Ellis Tomlin picked up the final win for the side at the foot of the table thanks to his 4 set win over Le Ber. For the B side averages leader Lawrence Stacey was unbeaten in singles action, dropping just the single end to Bourgaize and he also teamed with Sharp to beat Casey and Bourgaize in 4 sets in the doubles. Sharp picked up the other win when he beat Tomlin in the final match of the night.

It was all change at the top of the 2nd Division once more as Whistlers D moved ahead of Lions D on games ratio difference following a 7-3 win in a clash between the sides this week. The Lions side were without Luke Le Tissier, who has lost just 2 singles matches all season and the Whistlers side took full advantage of this. Kay Chivers was unbeaten with singles wins over Chloe Le Tissier, Ian Le Page and Shelby Timms, whilst 3rd Division reserve Ken Falla proved a decisive reserve for the Whistlers side due to his 5 set win over Le Page and his straight sets win over Timms. Keith Opie added a singles win over Timms to get the win for his side and he also further teamed with Chivers to win the doubles match against Le Tissier and Le Page in straight sets.

Ravenscroft Panthers B continue to maintain their slender single point advantage at the top of the Division after they decisively beat Lions I 8-2. Reserve Marli Barker turned out to be the best performer on the night as she earned an excellent 5 sets win over Steve Potter in addition to a 4 set win over Graham Mallett and a straight sets win over Derek Cave. Steve Martin and Richard Edwards each beat Mallett and Cave to finish the win, whilst Edwards and Barker combined to beat Potter and Mallett in hard fought 5 set doubles encounter.

League leaders Lions J were beaten for the first time this season and now find themselves level at the top with Lions K. The J side were absent of both Val Guilbert and Alex Paul and a 4th placed Ravenscroft Panthers E side took full advantage and narrowly won 6-4. Pierre Jehan and Huxley Le Conte each played some good table tennis on the night with each beating Diane Le Page and reserves John Mauger and Keith De Carteret in singles action to secure the points.