THE second half of the Bolton Table Tennis League season kicked off with the second round of the Divisional Cups Competition.

In the Brian Gittins Cup for teams in the top two divisions Flixton Cricket Club A had an easy ride over what was effectively a two-man Little Lever B.

Under the points system a two-man team is virtually a lost cause. Although Little Lever had a 121.5-points start Flixton ran out 396-227.5 winners.

Wingates had a start of 44.5 points against Hilton B but lost 372-266.5 with Dave Andrews winning all but one of his 12 games for Hilton.

Hilton D were also given a start, of 65.5 points, but lost 374-333.5 to Wharton in a match with game scores swinging both ways throughout.

In the George Yates competition for Divisions Two and Three Brass Zone’s 58.5-point start may have given them a morale boost as they beat Bolton TTC A 396.5-321 in a good match with no player able to totally outplay their opponents.

Farnworth SC D made good use of their 65.5 handicap as they ran out winners by 64.5 points against Ladybridge C, 400.5-336 the score.

Meadow Ben B’s Mike Heaton won all but one of his 12 games as they beat their own D team whose 114.5-point start was not enough to avoid a 388-329.5 loss.

Hilton F made good use of their 60.5 start to run out winners against Heaton Cricket Club B 363.5-351, despite Heaton’s Dave Jones putting up a good show in winning all but one of his games.

Another in-house draw came between Farnworth SC’s B and C teams.

It was a match played from scratch, although the team drawn away had a half-point start to prevent the possibility of a draw, and it ended in a 345.5-305 win for the B team.

Ladybridge B did well to overcome a handicap of 121.5 to beat Irlam Steel 371-359.5.

Bolton TTC B had a 30.5-points start against Top Spinners but did not require it as they won 377.5-294 in an otherwise balanced match.

The first prize for sportsmanship and fair play came in Hilton H’s match against Polonia Club B.

Polonia had a start of 58.5 points and Hilton’s Jei Makino won all his sets to leave the score at 348-347.5 to Hilton H at the end of play.

However, when Hilton H captain Brian Young took the card home he noticed a mistake in the scoring and the match should have gone to Polonia Club 348-348.5. He immediately contacted the match and general secretaries to have the matter corrected.