Ormesby did all they could to keep their hopes of a top four finish in the Premier Division alive with a 7-0 victory over North Ayrshire.
It was a convincing performance from last year’s winners who can now only wait and see how others fixture play out in March before finding out if they will have the chance to defend their title.
Ormesby came into the tie knowing nothing but victory would do, and their trio of Helshan Weerasinghe, Darius Knight and Sining Zhang played accordingly. They dropped just 5 games all afternoon as they ran out comfortable victors on the Scottish coast.
North Ayrshire’s position at the bottom of the table belies some of the fantastic table tennis they have played this season. They are sure to be tough opposition should they end up in a play-off to remain in the league.
Ormeau, also hopeful of a top four finish, missed out on the chance to keep play-off qualification in their own hands, losing a tense encounter against Urban TTC.
In the closest of three matches on Saturday, Urban TTC’s Szilard Gyorgy, Daniel Schaffer and Shohei Nishi lined up against Lucas Molland, Doriane Nicole and Matt Ware.
The home side started strongest as the experienced Gyorgy beat Molland in four. Ormeau provided an immediate response as Nicole beat Nishi in four before Nicole and Molland combined to beat Gyorgy and Schaffer in the doubles.
Schaffer picked up victories in both his singles matches against Ware and Molland, either side of Nicole coming through an epic five set tie with Gyorgy.
Nicole fell 2-0 down but fought back to take the following three 11-8, 11-9, 11-9 and the win.
Nishi proved too strong for Ware in the deciding game as Urban TTC maintained their place at the top of the league having lost just one fixture this season.
Fusion join North Ayrshire at the other end of the league, after suffering a 5-2 defeat against Archway Peterborough.
Archway, who are now unbeaten in four matches, produced a fine display to stay in second spot. Chris Doran picked up a singles victory against Lorestas Trumpauskas but it was once again the unstoppable Jia Wang Song who was the difference.
He won both his singles ties and combined with Doran to win the doubles. Wang Song now has the phenomenal record of 10 singles wins from 10 this season.
Fusion’s Joseph Hee and James Smith both won a singles game to show encouraging form should they have to play to keep their place in the Premier Division.
All eyes will be on the final two fixtures as the top four places are decided on Saturday 28th March. Batts will play Archway Peterborough and Fusion will travel to Ormeau. A calculator could come in hand as should any team end on the same amount of points the final league positions will be determined by the ratio of games won to games lost.
Results
North Ayrshire 0 Ormesby 7
Helshan Weerasinghe bt Colin Dalgleish 3-1 (6-11, 11-5, 11-8, 12-10)
Sining Zhang bt Zak Wilson 3-1 (8-11, 11-7, 14-12, 11-2)
Zhang & Darius Knight bt Dalgleish & Wilson 3-0 (13-11, 11-6, 11-7)
Knight bt Chris Main 3-1 (11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5)
Zhang bt Dalgleish 3-0 (12-10, 11-3, 11-6)
Weerasinghe bt Main 3-0 (11-9, 11-9, 11-8)
Knight bt Wilson 3-2 (5-11, 8-11, 11-7, 13-11, 11-7)
Archway Peterborough 5 Fusion 2
Jia Wang Song bt Joseph Hee 3-1 (8-11, 11-4, 11-3, 11-6)
Chris Doran bt Lorestas Trumpauskas 3-0 (11-7, 11-3, 11-6)
Wang Song & Doran bt Hee & James Smith 3-0 (11-9, 11-7, 11-7)
Smith bt Jepson 3-0 (11-8, 11-6, 11-6)
Wang Song bt Trumpauskas 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-4)
Hee bt Jepson 3-1 (8-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-9)
Doran bt Smith 3-0 (11-5, 11-5, 11-5)
Urban TTC 4 Ormeau 3
Szilard Gyorgy bt Lucas Molland 3-1 (9-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-6)
Doriane Nicolle bt Shohei Nishi 3-1 (11-6, 11-4, 9-11, 11-7)
Nicolle & Molland bt Gyorgy & Daniel Schaffer 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-8)
Schaffer bt Matthew Ware 3-0 (11-5, 11-2, 11-8)
Nicolle bt Gyorgy 3-2 (10-12, 4-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8)
Schaffer bt Molland 3-0 (11-9, 11-5, 11-3)
Nishi bt Ware 3-1 (11-7, 11-8, 13-11, 11-8)