Musketeers overcame a wobble to secure the Veterans’ British League Premier Division title, while Market Rasen took the plaudits in the top women’s division.
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The Musketeers team, promoted into the top flight this season, were unbeaten with three wins and two draws going into the second weekend at Derby Arena.
But they lost that record in spectacular fashion in the first round of fixtures as defending champions Bribar St Neots Saints blew them away 6-0.
That was a cathartic result for Saints, whose five-year reign as champions was coming to an end on the back of a poor first weekend which left them at the bottom.
It was also the first of four out of five victories over the second weekend, which lifted Saints up to a respectable third.
As for Musketeers, they bounced back to win the next match against Butterfly-Eck, but they then drew 3-3 against XLNT Draycott, which let PPong go top of the standings, having won their first three matches.
The top two both won in Round 9, meaning PPong led by a point as the top two met in the final round. And Musketeers’ 5-1 victory secured them the title.
Michael O’Driscoll topped the averages in the top flight with 17 wins from 18 for a percentage of 94.44.
In the Women’s Premier, there are also new champions as PPong’s reign was ended by Market Rasen, who set down their marker with successive 6-0 victories in the first two rounds, against MK Girls and Fusion.
A draw with Bribar Knighton Park and a 4-2 win over PPong sealed the title, making the 4-2 reverse in their final match against runners-up Bribar Failand, irrelevant.
In women’s Division 1, Wheelers Fusion of Ladies came on strong after the split, winning two and drawing a third to rise from second to first, overtaking Bribar IPS Tigers.
And in Division 2, Foresters remained unbeaten with nine victories and one draw – and they won all three matches after the split to end with a three-point lead over runners-up Ashford.
In the men’s divisions there were plenty of close results, none more so than in Division 1B, where The Rams and Team Ecosse were a cut above the rest. They matched each other with four wins in the opening four rounds and met in the final set of fixtures to decide the title.
Team Ecosse needed a win to take the title, and they led 2-0 and 3-1. However, wins for Garry Knights over Gerald Campbell and Phil Cox over Ross Martin secured the 3-3 draw Rams required to finish in top spot. They had 18 points, Team Ecosse 17 and there was a huge gap to third-placed Wolves Vets on 8pts.
In Division 1A, halfway leaders Topspin Fusion fell away with defeat to Norwich in Round 9 and Foresters B in the final round. That allowed Norwich, with four wins and a draw on Weekend 2, to come through and take the title.
In 2A, the top two of St Georges and XLNT Draycott III both lost to Cippenham, but still occupied first and second places – on the same points – going into their final-round meeting. It was St Georges who prevailed 5-1, despite Alan Cherry putting Draycott ahead with a five-set victory over Ryan Stockham.
2B saw Bribar Failand keep their unbeaten record intact, a draw with nearest rivals XLNT Draycott II in Round 9 ensuring there was no chance they would be caught. In the end, they won with a four-point cushion.
Norton Commandos maintained their unbeaten record to win Division 3A by three points ahead of PSP Insurance. The runners-up had been level at the top going into the weekend, but a draw with XLNT Draycott IV set them back, and they were beaten 4-2 by the champions in the final round, despite holding a 2-1 lead.
Halfway leaders Pudsey fell away to finish fourth in 3B, though it was exceptionally tight as they were only two points behind the champions Ashford, with Foresters D and Ormesby sandwiched between them one point off top spot.
Ashford actually lost their first match of the weekend, to Foresters, but recovered to go on a run of four successive victories.
The two divisions at the next level, 4A and 4B, split after seven rounds, and the top two in both cases went on to win the titles.
In 4A, that was Nailsworth Pheonix, who had the title sewn up before their final-round 4-2 defeat to runners-up Whitworth Academy. In 4B, Sycamore Zigabytes were unbeaten with eight victories and two draws, winning all three matches after the split to take the title, four points ahead of Corby Smash.
Click below to see the final standings.