With the experienced Taverners side requiring just 2 sets to clinch the title against Torbay Table Tennis Academy II, and the youngsters from the Academy requiring nothing short of a 10-0 win for them to clinch the title, stalemate ensued. Taverners, unbeaten until this last game of the season, were convincingly beaten 9-1 which means both sides finish on 130 points and a play-off is required. 

With the captain, Geoff Read dropping himself it was left to the guile and experience of Colin Harrop, Tony Morley and Alan Tyrrell to see off the hard-hitting aggressive Academy side of Simon Furgol, Daniel Barnett & Sam Perkins. 

A nervous start from Colin let in Simon, whose powerful hitting set the tone for the Academy side.  When Sam beat Tony in 4 and Dan saw off Alan 3 straight to go into a 3-0 lead, the belief that they could actually do it, really showed on the Academy stars. Three more sets all won by the Academy in 4 games, furthered that belief, and the experienced Taverners players were worried!

Up stepped Alan Tyrrell who  just about bamboozled Sam Perkins to take Taverners only set of the night in 5.  The pressure was on Dan & Simon then to see out the last 2 singles and doubles which they did comparatively easily. 

What a fantastic effort by the Academy side.  Well done, particularly to Simon whose maximum, and defeat of fellow contender Colin Harrop, ended up at the top of the Second Division averages.