A perfect performance from Nello Mauri provided the backbone to Blazing Paddles 6-4 victory over Tanworth Taipans. The opening and concluding sets of the fixture proved the most decisive with Mauri beginning by getting the better of the visitors’ talisman Mick Welsh over the distance, and concluding by successfully combining with Dave Fordham in the doubles. Fordham added a singles win for Paddles, for whom debutant Harry Azima celebrated by defeating Tim Lawrence in the decider. Both Welsh and Michael Saunders, another player making his league bow, earned braces for Taipans.

When Henley B entertained Shottery C the match followed a similar pattern despite finishing with honours even. This time it was the performance of visiting captain Rob Poole which proved decisive. He commenced his treble by taking the crucial scalp of Robert McCluskey and clinched the draw with doubles partner David Lincoln-Lewis. However that result looked unlikely when the pair found themselves two games down before staging a recovery to turn the tide. Kevin Taylor earned Shottery’s fifth win, while Henley B’s points came from McCluskey and Dave Milton with braces, and Dave Hatcher who took the contest 15-13 in the fifth game against Lincoln-Lewis.  

When his Ashorne side entertained Veterans Steve Bolton enjoyed maximum playing time without being able to make the final breakthrough. All three of his sets went the distance but, despite taking an early lead in each, Bolton eventually lost out to John Hunt, Brian Marston and George Mudie. However Marston was unable to overcome either Chris Bowles or Steve Handsley, with the latter overturning an initial two-game deficit, but their performances couldn’t prevent the visitors going home with an 8-2 win.

In their next fixture Veterans were on the receiving end of a whitewash from title-chasing Henley Pasties. Jason Rainey, Mike Evetts and Mike Credland enjoyed a comfortable evening conceding just two games between them. The league’s only unbeaten team Shottery B achieved an identical result against FISSC with Tim Fell, Gareth Hepworth and Ron Shakesheff doing the damage.