The Northumbria League champions, North East Chinese Association  were without two of their leading players when they took on The Mount B team in their opening match of the season and despite a hat trick from young Adam Webster lost  7 - 3 with Jamie Dent, Dan Dodds and Allan Thompson all beating Terry Kwong and Ken Lee.

The Mount C team also made a winning start with a 6 - 4 victory over Cramlington Stingers, Tony Gelder being undefeated while Saint Chads defeated Old England Jacks 8 - 2.

Both of Matfen's sides got off on the right foot in the First Division.The Senators team of Alex Holliday, Steve Oxley and Neil Forsyth triumphed 7 - 3 over Tyneside TTC and the Centurians' Chris Kilsby, Keith Hodges and Phil Rainford made it a very bad week for Ken Lee and Terry Kwong who also turned out for North East Chinese B team but were beaten 10 - 0.

The newly formed St.Columba's club's  B team defeated Newton B with Lee Tinkler unbeaten and Mount D beat Brandon Anacondas 8 - 2.

It was a really good start to the season for The Mount as their E team were also successful in Division Two, an unbeaten performance from John Rowell helping them to win 7 - 3 away to Old England FATTS.

A close match in Division Three was at Brandon where the Bravehearts took on Cramlington Falcons. John Spencer and John Foster both won two for the home side but the Falcon's youngster Oliver Ho won all of his singles and also the doubles with another young player Alfie Stokes as the match was drawn.

It was certainly a case of old versus young in Division Four with the Association President, 80 year old Aubrey Drapkin together with Pauline Long and Stephen Baxter who are both in their seventies, taking on Matfen Consuls youngsters, thirteen year old Ferg Kilsby, Phillipe King-Lewis(14) and Toby Dancer(11). The veterans ran out 7 - 3 winners but the star of the match was young Ferg Kilsby who easily defeated all of them.

Aubrey Drapkin