THERE are new leaders in Division One of the Aldershot Table Tennis League after Bentley A usurped Tennis A 8-2.

It was a first defeat of the season for Tennis, while Bentley now emerge as title favourites. Andy Mudie and Richard Seymour were both unbeaten in this impressive result for Bentley.

The Division Two Cup semi-finals both produced some excellent table tennis. Bentley B had to come from behind to beat Ash C 5-4. Ash took a 2-0 lead when Nigel Tustin beat Paul Farrant and Frank Winnard overcame Robin Street. Ultimately, the next set was critical as Gordon Traviss proved too strong for Ash’s Chris Carter. Farrant then beat Winnard to level the tie, but Ash regained the lead as Tustin saw off Traviss.

Back came Bentley, with Street beating Carter, only for Ash to grab back the advantage, Winnard defeating Traviss. However, Bentley came good in the end, taking the last two sets – Farrant against Carter and Street against Tustin.

The other semi-final followed a similar pattern, Frimley C edging home 5-4 against Fleet A. Frimley took an early lead as Andy Griffiths recorded a fine victory over David Joyce and Peter Farrelly beat Andrew Blunden.

Fleet woke up and took the next three: Melvyn Lovegrove against John Eade, Joyce against Farrelly and Lovegrove against Griffiths.

Frimley then went 4-3 up with victories for Eade against Blunden and Farrelly against Lovegrove, but Joyce levelled things by beating Eade. Griffiths finally beat Blunden in five sets to set up a final for Frimley against Bentley.

Results:

Div I

Ash A 2 Bentley A 8, Tennis A 2 Bentley A 8

Div IV

Ash J 1 Frimley E 9

Div II Cup

Ash C 4 Bentley B 5, Frimley C 5 Fleet A 4

Div III Cup

Tennis 5 Cody D 4

Handicap Cup

Ash H 8.5 Fleet C 3.5, Tennis F 4 Braybrooke B 8, Tennis G 5 Ash C 7