Archway II lead the way in the Senior British League Championship division with four wins out of four on the first weekend of competition.
They did not have things all their own way, each victory coming by a 5-3 margin as they opened up a two-point lead over Nottingham Sycamore firsts – who they beat in round 3.
They led that match 3-1 but were pegged back to 3-3 and were on the verge of going 4-3 down before George Downing battled back to defeat David Barr 3-2 (8-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-6). Zak Cantor completed the 5-3 victory for Archway in three against Maxim Stevens. Earlier, Barr had also seen a 2-0 lead overturned by Adam Jepson in Match 2.
Archway were also pushed by London Academy, needing Michael Marsden’s 3-0 (3, 4, 6) win over Alix Bell in the last match as their opponents sensed a draw, while they won the last two matches against Batts II in the last round to ensure their unbeaten record. On that occasion, Olly Tyndall and Marsden did the business, Tyndall recovering from 2-1 down to beat Joe Walker in Match 7.
Sycamore won their other three matches and behind them, Wymondham, Ormesby II and London Academy are all on five points having picked up two wins and a draw from their fixtures.
Lower down, both of the A divisions have two teams with 100% records.
In Division A1 it is St Mary’s Hull who hold top spot with a 26-10 sets difference, just ahead of Fusion II, who registered 24-12. There is then a four-point gap to third place.
Division A2’s leaders are unbeaten Wensum firsts and Tabletennisdaily, but with three teams just behind with 6pts each.
Ormesby III lead the way in Division B1 with an unblemished record, though they were extended by P Pong before winning 5-4.
B2 sees Godalming Simply Let out in front, again with four wins from four, two points ahead of Lillington, who they beat 6-3.
In B3, Loughborough Unicorn already have a four-point advantage having taken maximum points, and with the following six teams all having won two and lost two to create an elongated mid-table.
Waterside are top of B4, winning all four matches including a narrow 5-4 success over Joola Plymouth.
In Division C1, both Halifax firsts and Colin Deaton firsts won all four of their matches to lead the way. Halifax have the advantage, having conceded only six individual matches – three of those in the 6-3 victory over Halton III. Colin Deaton, by contrast, shaded two matches 5-4, against St Neots I and Ravenscroft II.
The C2 leaders are North Ayrshire II, who won all four matches and are the only unbeaten team, two points clear of Huddersfield and Shiyi Ling, both of whom they beat 7-2.
Wensum II are the trailblazers in C3 with a 100% record after four matches, with three teams a further two points behind, while in C4 it is Greenhouse I who lead the way with a 4/4 record.
In C5, the leaders are 23 Technology I who have won all four matches, while in C6 there are two teams with 100% records – Huntingdon and JLM TTA, the former having dropped only two individual matches.
The next round of fixtures is on the weekend of November 30 and December 1. The SBL Premier Division season starts on October 12.