The season is still in its infancy but these two teams are the front runners in Division Two and met for the first time.

Wait a minute though… the talk of the town is that Malcolm ( I’ll play for anybody at any time) Rumsey is unavailable!!! These are words which no Wigan League player thought  would ever be  heard. Who would the Raiders bring in? Another youngster from the LSG factory of TT? No, it was the Owdmon of course, some sixty years after making his debut in the lowest division of the league.

First up, a clash with a long standing tradition, Jimmy Brookes versus Owdmon. First game of the night with Owdmon fresh from a visit to Wrightington knee specialist and resplendent in new knee support against the always dapper Jimmy. Owdmon belied his years and smashed JB off the table in the first game, only for Jimmy to return the compliment in the second. As was to be expected the game went to five, has there ever been a game between these two which didn’t? Jimmy finally remembered how to beat Owdmon and took the fifth. 3-2 up to Heinz.

Second game, young Raiders Captain, Thomas, against the League’s oldest  player, Allan Pickford. What’s this though, Allan has a new bat? Well, one side anyway. Will he now be called long pimpled Allan? Thomas was young enough and bold enough for it not to matter and took the game 3-0. Cool Hand Luke, Jim Bolton, was too experienced for Raiders other young (ish) player Simon Chapman and reversed the previous match 3-0 to Heinz.

Next game up could provide an idea for a film – “No country for old men”. The combined age on the table was 154. Owdmon played well enough, after coming to terms with the long pimples to win 3-0, followed by Jimmy beating Simon, but having a game taken by the Raider.

Heinz now sent a message to the bean pool and brought out their joker, with league secretary Sandra Moss joining Jimmy in the dream doubles team, to play Thomas and Simon. It is always difficult for a player to rock up for just one game and Heinz went down 1-3, making the match score now 12-10 to Raiders.

There now followed the performance of the night. Thomas was awesome in completely outgunning League Chairman Jim Bolton in three crash bang wallop sets to win 3-0. 15-10 to Raiders with only three games to go. Could the youngsters ( plus one oldie) pull off a famous away victory?

Wily Allan now showed his experience and skill and pimples to play what was perhaps the pivotal game as far as the match was to go by beating Simon 3-1. Owdmon v Chairman next   and Owdmon quickly established a big lead only to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory and lose the first 10-12. He almost did exactly the same in the second but won it 12-10. This proved to be the game when the players realised that the net had been too slack all night as the number of points won by both players with net cords brought disbelief ( and the odd choice word). Another five setter with the decider going to the wire but taken by Jim.

Final game with the score at 18-16 for Raiders and all results possible. Thomas took the first and Raiders were dormie but Jimmy realised he couldn’t compete with the pace of Thomas, mixed up his game and took it 3-1 to leave the final result an excellent draw.

A fitting result to end a good night’s table tennis. Heinz are installed as favourites to win the division but will the return of the mighty Russian Malcmeister have something to say about it?