Ormeau had a weekend to remember as they beat BATTS and Archway Peterborough to head to the top of the SBL Premier Division. 

They overcame Archway in a nail-biting encounter on Saturday before completing a resounding victory against BATTS on Sunday. 

With BATTS also having won on Saturday, the match between the two was an early season top of the table clash. 

Jack Bennett got proceedings underway taking the first set against Lucas Molland 3-2, the only set that BATTS would manage to get on the board. The Ormeau trio of Alexis Lebrun, Owen Cathcart and Molland only dropped a staggering three sets across the following six games. 

On Saturday Ormeau’s home-grown star Owen Cathcart was the hero of the afternoon, clinching the winning match against Archway Peterborough.

In arguably the most exciting tie of the weekend, Cathcart faced Welsh number one Callum Evans in a winner-takes-all final game. 

With the fixture tied at 3-3, Archway Peterborough looked as though they would claim a win on their Premier Division debut as Evans took the first two sets 11-9, 11-5. The Belfast star refused to give up, taking the final three sets to win what was a thrilling finale for the local crowd. 

Archway had opportunities to win, starting match six leading 3-2, thanks to a strong performance from Jia Wang Song. He beat beat Cathcart and Frenchman Lucas Moland convincingly before pairing up with Chris Doran to beat Alexis Lebrun and Moland in the doubles.

Archway Chairman Julian Tee said: “The team enjoyed the experience and felt it was a close match which could have gone either way with us being 2-1 and 3-2 up. Song was excellent and should have a good record in this division.”

Ormeau head coach Keith Knox added: “The match was a showcase of phenomenal talent. We were lucky as our players found top form to win crucial matches. When Owen trailed 2-0 to Callum, we knew he had more in him, thankfully he found his top level to win the next 3 sets in a row.” 

BATTS enjoyed their visit to Scotland on Saturday more than their Sunday fixture in Northern Ireland. 

Summer signing Josh Bennett put in a fine performance as BATTS beat North Ayrshire 5-2.

It was a case of a Bennett blitz as Josh beat Christopher Main and Colin Dalgleish before teaming up with brother Jack for a doubles match. They fought back from two sets down to beat Dalgleish & Zak Wilson. 

Nicholas Bastio, a late replacement for injured Paul Lavergne, chipped in with two wins against Wilson and Dalgleish. 

The fixture was not a one-sided affair, North Ayrshire shared some good rallies but BATTS were the better team at crucial moments.  

North Ayrshire’s Christopher Main, who picked up the fourth game, said: “There were a lot of tight sets, if a few close deuce sets went our way the final match score could’ve been different.”

Scottish international Zak Wilson secured a second set for the club in the final game of the match. 

Fusion, yet to play a game, will face North Ayrshire on 16th November in a rearranged round one fixture. They will also travel to Ormesby on 7th December.

Results

North Ayrshire 2 BATTS 5
Josh Bennett (BATTS) bt Colin Dalgleish (11-5 8-11 11-4 11-9)
Nicholas Bastiao (BATTS) bt Zak Wilson (11-5 8-11 11-9 11-5)
Jack & Josh Bennett bt Colin Dalgleish & Zak Wilson (2-11 6-11 11-7 11-6 11-9)
Christopher Main (North Ayrshire) bt Jack Bennett (11-8 11-9 13-15 8-11 11-7)
Bastiao (BATTS) bt Dalgleish (11-6 17-15 15-13)
Josh Bennett (BATTS) bt Main (11-6 11-4 11-9)
Wilson (North Ayrshire) bt Jack Bennett (7-11 11-1 11-5 11-5)

Ormeau 4-3 Archway Peterborough
Lucas Molland (Ormeau) bt Chris Doran (11-7 11-7 6-11 12-10)
Jia Wang Song (Archway) bt Owen Cathcart (11-5 11-9 11-9)
Jia Wang Song & Chris Doran (Archway) bt Alexis Lebrun & Lucas Molland (12-10 11-9 10-12 11-9)
Alexis Lebrun (Ormeau) bt Callum Evans (11-8 11-9 11-6)
Jia Wang Son (Archway) bt Lucas Molland (11-7 11-8 3-11 11-3)
Alexis Lerun (Ormeau) bt Chris Doran (11-8 11-5 12-10)
Owen Cathcart (Ormeau) bt Callum Evans (9-11 5-11 11-6 11-3 11-7)

Sunday 27th 
Ormeau 6 BATTS 1
Jack Bennett (BATTS) bt Lucas Molland (4-11 11-9 8-11 11-9 12-10)
Alexis Lebrun (Ormeau) bt Nicholas Bastiao (11-6 11-9 11-9)
Lucas Molland & Alexis Lebrun (Ormeau) bt Jack Bennett & Nicholas Bastiao (11-7 11-7 11-1)
Owen Cathcart (Ormeau) bt Joshua Bennett (9-11 11-5 11-8 11-8)
Lucas Molland (Ormeau) bt Nicholas Bastiao (11-8 3-11 11-4 11-5)
Owen Cathcart (Ormeau) bt Jack Bennett (11-8 11-5 11-8)
Alexis Lebrun (Ormeau) bt Joshua Bennett (8-11 11-6 11-8 11-8)