The British League bandwagon travelled to RAF Cosford this weekend as the 2014/15 Veterans’ British League season commenced.
Five divisions featuring 30 teams took centre stage in what was another memorable weekend in the typically eventful competition.
Butterfly-ECK hold a slender advantage at the top of the Premier Division having remained unbeaten throughout the weekend. The quartet of Peter Bartram, Lee Neil, Costas Papantoniou and Nigel Eckersley overcame a wealth of talent to end the weekend perched at the top of the ladder.
Narrow victories over Bribar St Neots Saints and Draycott and Long Eaton set them on their way, with the only blemish on their record coming courtesy of a 3-3 draw with Custom Table Tennis, who ended the weekend in fourth place.
Butterfly-ECK’s nearest challengers come in the shape of Bribar St Neots, who won their four other games after defeat to Butterfly which resulted in them ending the weekend a solitary point behind their rivals.
Just two points separate the top three in Division 1A after a string of tight matches. London Morberley hold a slender lead at the top of the division largely down to the splendid performances of Jojo Senorin, who recorded nine wins from 10 over the weekend. The Rams and Kidlington Stars remain in hot pursuit after successful weekends, trailing Morberley by one and two points respectively.
Seasiders took a stranglehold of Division 1B with a number of dominant performances. Despite drawing with third-placed Westfield Nomads, they went on to record four consecutive victories to secure a three-point cushion at the top of the league. An intriguing weekend has left the division extremely tight in the middle, with just two points separating four sides.
Redlands Bats dropped just six sets on their way to the top of Division 2A. Four victories and a draw have left them two points clear at the top of the league, with Ormesby TTC leading the chasing pack, two points behind Redlands Bats.
Finally, Topspin Fusion charged to the pinnacle of Division 2B, registering five consecutive wins, and as a result ending the weekend as the only team to maintain a 100 per cent record. In what is an otherwise tight division, with just three points separating the other five sides, Topspin Fusion dropped only two sets on their path to the top.
Market Rasen Ladies ended the weekend at the top of the Ladies’ Premier Division after remaining unbeaten. Three wins and two draws sent them to the pinnacle of the division, with consistency proving to be the key. The trio of Lesley Keast, Rosemary Rainton and Jane Vickers remained solid and steady throughout the weekend, with their 4-2 victory over Five Counties particularly impressive, whilst draws with second-placed Bribar Bunch, who sit one point behind them, and Bribar Knighton Park helping them fend off a siege of competition.
Matthew Shaw
October 14, 2014