The Scousers arrived at LSG Arena minus their version of the Kray twins. Pikey Southworth was somewhere on the open road in his horse drawn caravan and brother John wiring up the new roller coaster on Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

In form Lee Smith first up against Mark Hunter with the locksmith winning in three straight, followed by the same score for Phil Wilkinson against Amazon Gary Chadwick. Martin Cook was playing his first match of the season following health issues and unfortunately for him met the Owdmon who was at his best having been released from the teeth of his Beagle and won comfortably in three. Locksmith demolished Amazon to leave the match at 9-3 for Scousers after four games.

A reversal of results now saw Dragons take the next three, Captain Pugwash beating re-made Martin 3-1 followed by a see saw doubles which kept everyone guessing for five games before Dragons came through. Not least of the questions was whether Dragons had switched Owdmon for Newmon, giving how he played in this one!

They switched back quickly for Owdmon to play his normal game beating car man Phil in three to leave the match poised at 13-12 to Scousers. Martin had by now remembered how to play after his long lay off to win in four against Gary to be followed by a slightly strange game with Owdmon against locksmith Mark. Locksmith comfortably in front for most of the first two with Owdmon pinching them both at the death but then unaccountably Mark did not win a single point in the third. The Owdmon was in top form but even he had to admit to a little assistance from nets and edges in the third. Car man Phil took the last with comparative ease to leave the away team victors by 18-16.

No table tennis talk in the bar afterwards, just videos on phones and Railwayman extolling the virtues of an easy life working for a large online retail outfit which shall remain nameless for legal reasons.