Handicap Cup proving to be a real leveller

THE LOWER leagues are having a field day in the Handicap Cup as table tennis resumed in Loughborough following the holiday season.

The popular competition, in which players are from the four divisions are graded according to previous results and ability, has again proved a leveller with no First Division sides making it to the last four.

The cup preceded the start of the Loughborough and District Table Tennis League season in September with eight sides going through from the group stages.

And the tie of the week saw Division Three Charnwood Drivers come very close to continuing their good run against Division Two promotion candidates Draycott Dinkies.

Drivers began the night with a 48-point advantage and were quickly in business as the experienced Ian Kennedy did particularly well to take the last two games to draw 34-34 with John Genovese.

Paul Ducksbury then took one game off Jordan Tweed who nevertheless pulled back 12 valuable points for Dinkies.

Tom Wright helped Genovese reduce the deficit by a further ten in the opening doubles to leave the tie in the balance halfway through the evening.

The second half was notable for another excellent performance by Kennedy who again won the third and fourth games, this time against Tweed.

The outcome rested on the second doubles in which Tweed and Wright triumphed 44-29 to squeeze Dinkies through by a mere seven points.

First Division Charnwood Corn barely got a sniff at Sawley Stars, who are near the foot of Division Two.

Fast-improving teenager Jack Spencer and Lee Brookes battled well against Calvin Cheung and Guan Zhang in the singles but this tie was effectively settled in the doubles as Steve Cooper and John Brindley won all eight games between them.

The final margin of victory was 55 points to take Stars into the semi finals for the first time.

The other two sides in the last four are Draycott Dolphins, of Division Two, and Goons, still flying the Division Three flag.