Howarth triumphs as players snub singles

Only four players entered the Premier Division competition, Darren Howarth and Dave Griffiths (Tonge A), Mark Gibson (Hilton A) and Phil Biggs (Hilton Tameside).

The standard of play on the night was excellent, with all four players performing to a high standard. Played on a round robin basis Darren ran out the winner with three wins, with Mark the runner-up on two wins.

The Division One turnout went one better with five players entering. Again the standard of table tennis was very good and interesting to watch. Ian Lansdale of Little Lever C was the form player winning all his four sets in the round robin competition, including the last one of the night against Vinny Croft of Burning Desire B who came second with three wins.

Division Two recorded the best entry although four players dropped out on the night, this left an entry of 12 which was split into three groups.

Following the round robin competition eight players progressed to a quarter-final knockout, in which Geoff Rushton beat Brian Goody, Siful Khan beat Steve Jones, Reena Ardeshana beat Alan Crompton and Phil Noden beat Roger Bertrand.

Some excellent table tennis was played on the night, and there was none better than the two semi-finals.

The first between junior Siful Khan of Hilton E and veteran Geoff Rushton of Hilton C was both competitive and entertaining, with some excellent rallies over the match.

It was nip and tuck all the way, with Siful winning the first two games and Geoff responding by taking the next two, but, Siful clinched a very close fifth set 11-8 to book his place in the final.

The second semi between junior Reena Ardeshana of Tonge B and Phil Noden of Meadow Hill A was just as competitive as it was entertaining.

Reena made a very good start winning the first game, but the experience of Phil won through as he took the next three games to clinch his final place.

In the final the standard of play remained high as Phil won the first game, but Siful's response was excellent as he clinched the next three to become a worthy winner.

Ten players entered the Third Division competition which was played in two groups of five players, from which four players - Cathy Jones and Philip Calvert (BEN A), Alan Bradshaw (Hilton H) and Gillian Marsden (Hilton F) - won through to the semi-final.

There were wins for Cathy over Gillian, and Alan over Philip, and, in the final, Cathy ran out the winner against Alan.

Only three entered the Division Four competition which was won by Alan Hibbert of BEN B, with George Berry of Hilton L in second place, and junior Adele Spibey of Hilton M third.

Warburton Cup First Round to be played week starting on Monday.

The handicaps are based on the league tables as published today: Hilton K (+5) v Burning Desire B; Hilton D v Irlam (+4); Tonge D (+4) v Ramsbottom C; Bolton YMCA (+5) v Little Lever B; Ellesmere B (+5) v Heaton B; Heaton F (+4) v Heaton E; Burning Desire A (scr) v Tonge A; Hilton F (+4) v Hilton B; Ladybridge A (+2) v Nomads A; Tonge C (+7) v Ramsbottom A; Ramsbottom B v Hilton C (+3); Hilton H (scr) v Ladybridge B; Heaton A v Hilton E (+3); Hilton J (+3) v Tonge B; Nomads B v Ladybridge D (+4); Hilton L (+6) v Little Lever A; Hilton I (+3) v Heaton D; Radcliffe v Walkden Meths (+6); Wingates (+3) v Wharton A; Hilton G (+3) v Little Lever D; Meadow Hill A (+4) v Horwich Hilton; BEN B (+6) v Hilton Tameside.

The following teams have byes: Ellesmere A, YMCA, Little Lever C, Heaton C, Wharton B, Meadow Hill B, Hilton M, Ladybridge C, Farnworth SC, BEN A.

Results: Premier Division: Little Lever A 5 Radcliffe 4; Wharton A 4 Radcliffe 4.

Division Two: Hilton E 8 Ramsbottom C 1.

Division Three: Meadow Hill B 7 Farnworth 2.

Division Four: BEN B 7 Hilton K.2.

Premier Division

P W D L F A Pt

Tonge A... 4 4 0 0 27 9 27

Ramsbottom A... 3 3 0 0 20 7 20

Lostock... 4 3 0 1 19 17 19

Hilton A... 4 2 0 2 16 20 16

Radcliffe CC... 4 2 0 2 16 20 16

Horwich Hilton... 4 1 0 3 16 20 16

Little Lever A... 3 2 0 1 14 13 14

Hilton Tameside... 3 1 0 2 14 13 14

Wharton A... 3 0 0 3 10 17 10

Nomads A... 4 0 0 4 10 26 10

Burning Desire A... 2 1 0 1 9 9 9

Division One

Ladybridge A... 4 2 0 2 22 14 22

Little Lever C... 3 3 0 0 19 8 19

Heaton B... 4 3 0 1 19 17 19

Ramsbottom B... 4 3 0 1 19 17 19

Heaton A... 4 2 0 2 19 17 19

Little Lever B... 4 1 0 3 17 19 17

Wharton B... 3 2 0 1 15 12 15

Burning Desire B... 3 2 0 1 14 13 14

Wingates A... 4 1 0 3 14 22 14

Hilton B... 3 1 0 2 11 16 11

YMCA... 4 0 0 4 11 25 11

Division Two

Hilton C... 4 2 0 2 22 14 22

Hilton E... 3 3 0 0 20 7 20

Heaton C... 4 3 0 1 20 16 20

Meadow Hill A... 4 2 0 2 20 16 20

Nomads B... 4 1 0 3 17 19 17

Hilton D... 3 2 0 1 16 11 16

Heaton E... 4 2 0 2 15 21 15

Heaton D... 3 2 0 1 14 13 14

Little Lever D... 4 1 0 3 14 22 14

Ramsbottom C... 4 1 0 3 13 23 13

Tonge B... 3 1 0 2 9 18 9

Division Three

Ellesmere A... 4 4 0 0 31 5 31

Hilton H... 4 3 0 1 24 12 24

Meadow Hill B... 4 2 0 2 23 13 23

Ladybridge B... 4 3 0 1 20 16 20

BEN A... 4 2 0 2 20 16 20

Farnworth SC... 4 3 0 1 19 17 19

Hilton I... 4 2 0 2 19 17 19

Hilton G... 4 2 0 2 16 20 16

Hilton F... 4 2 0 2 14 22 14

Hilton J... 4 1 0 3 13 23 13

Walkden Methts... 4 0 0 4 12 24 12

Ellesmere B... 4 0 0 4 5 31 5

Division Four

Hilton L... 4 3 0 1 26 10 26

Bolton YMCA... 4 3 0 1 23 13 23

BEN B... 3 3 0 0 22 5 22

Hilton K... 4 2 0 2 19 17 19

Ladybridge C... 3 2 0 1 15 12 15

Hilton M... 4 1 0 3 14 22 14

Ladybridge D... 3 2 0 1 13 14 13

Irlam ... 3 1 0 2 13 14 13

Tonge C... 4 1 0 3 9 27 9

Tonge D... 3 0 0 3 6 21 6

Heaton F... 1 0 0 1 2 7 2