Students fight for title glory

THE STRENGTH in depth of Loughborough Students is being highlighted in Division Three of the Loughborough and District Table Tennis League.

Already, with the new season in its early stages, it is becoming clear the title is a two-horse race between Students E and Students F, with the former currently holding a slight edge.

They made it five wins out of six by beating an experienced Charnwood Drivers 5-1.

Ayush Busche, one of three Students E players with 100 per cent singles records, comprehensively saw off both Michael Harker and Paul Ducksbury in straight games.

Ducksbury gained a hardfought success over Joseph Simpson 13-11 11-8 8-11 14-12 but that was as good as it got for Drivers

Ducksbury and Ian Kennedy took the second doubles to a fifth game before going down 11-3.

Students F also boast a candidate for player of the division in Daniel Broner who took his perfect start to ten wins out of ten in a 6-0 humbling of hosts Melbourne Swifts A.

Best set of the night saw John Mould go to the brink of getting a point on the board for Swifts before losing to Matthew Neil 12-10 7-11 14-16 11-9 8-11.

Charnwood Choppers are in third spot ten points of Students F after a close 4-2 victory over Goons.

The highly competitive nature of this match was clear from the opening set when Paul Chung came back from two games to one down to edge out Barry Robinson 11-5 in the decider.

Kevin Edwards proved an even tougher nut to crack as he won both his singles for Goons and, with Richard Earle getting the better of Robinson, the outcome was decided by the doubles.

Paul Chung and Tony Cook took part in a cliffhanger against Steve Webb and Barry Robinson before coming through 11-9 11-7 10-12 6-11 11-9 and Tony Cook teamed up with Earle to take the final set in four games.

The other Third Division match of the week was an even tighter affair as Draycott Dragons and Charnwood Foxes had to settle for a 3-3 draw.

Key player of the night was Stephen Campion who won both his singles in straight games for Dragons.

Billy Shi weighed in with one win, but Foxes got the better of the doubles with Max Cherry featuring in both alongside Alex Boon and then Samuel Hall.