This match was already tipped to be a classic with so much riding on it, even at the halfway stage of the season. Both teams involved are title contenders and neither can afford to drop points.

First game up saw Ryan play Kevin with Kevin taking a comfortable lead in the first leg but not being able to hold onto it and Ryan coming out with a good run of points to take the first leg. Ryan then got settled and took the next two quite comfortably to get the first set on the board for the away team.

Next up saw John play Trevor. The first leg John made things difficult for Trevor with his heavy chop and spinny looping combination and ran away with it, however in the next leg Trevor got his game going and started counter hitting a lot of Johns loops to nick the second.

John had to dig deep to win the next two legs, Trevor is very a dangerous player if you let him play his game. James then went on against Nathan losing the first quickly but coming back in the second to lose a tight second. It was always going to be hard after that for James to come back and Nathan won the third for a straight sets victory. John went on against Ryan and made is difficult for him from the start taking the first leg then coming back from 7-2 down in the second to nick it. John took the third and we were all level at two games apiece, still all to play for.

Kev went on against Trevor and lost a really tight first, this was always going to be a close one and Kev rallied back to win the second and the third. Fourth set Kev showed his skill sets with soaring loops and dogged pimple play to coast through the fourth set and win Tackleway their first point, match score is at 3-2 to the home side, now getting tense.

Doubles was always going to be crucial and it didn’t disappoint. James and John up against Ryan and Nathan with the away team taking a tight first leg. The home team then got their act together to win the second comfortably and then a very nervy third. The fourth went the home teams way with the home teams combination play of James blocking and Johns looping getting them over the line. 4-2.

Nathan then played Kevin and showed his class by winning in three and hitting through Kevins combination bat. 4-3.

Game of the night was James v Trevor.

Both were locked at 1-1 with Trevor answering most of the questions asked by James who was struggling with Trevor’s persistence and counter hitting. Trevor won the third to take a 2-1 lead and James was under real pressure to try and stop Trevor. In the fourth James saved a match point to come through and take it to a decider which went all the way to deuce again and James nicking it an unbelievable game of determination and will from both players. 5-3.

John went on play Nathan taking a good lead in the first but not being able to hang on and losing to 9. Second and third games took a similar pattern with some high quality play from both players, Nathan played a very clever game against John forcing him to attack more and make unforced errors to win in straight sets. 5-4.

James and Ryan had a particularly good game at Bexhill earlier in the season with James coming from 2-0 down to win in five sets so it was all to play for.

This game took a different  pattern with James winning the first leg comfortably. Second leg was a cracker with Ryan going 8-4 up only for James to get it back to 9-9. Ryan managed to get over the line to make it 1-1. James then lost the third leg after having a commanding lead. A similar game in the fourth with Ryan showing his class also with great counter hitting and driving play to get home in four legs. Some of the rallies in this game were some of the best i have ever seen in my playing career with both players going to for it like their life depended on it. 5-5. Fair result.

The only winner tonight was table tennis. 

Well done Nathan on a faultless maximum.

Game played in good spirit with plenty of banter, a credit to our sport.