BATTS, Archway Peterborough and Ormesby all kept their hopes of a top-four finish alive with victories on Saturday in the SBL Premier Division. 

Fusion lost out to BATTS in a back and forth tie that needed a final match to separate the teams. 

The lead was shared between both sides as Kazeem Adeleke beat Josh Bennett in the opening match before Paul Lavergne levelled for BATTS  against James Smith. 

Lavergne then teamed up with Michael O’Driscoll to beat Adeleke and Lorestas Trumpauskas in five in the doubles. 

The lead once again changed hands as Trumpauskas won the following match before Lavergne won his second singles tie of the afternoon to take the score to 3-2. 

Trumpauskas gave Fusion hope of securing their second win this season as he beat Bennett to leave the score at 3-3.

Michael O’Driscoll then stepped up to the table to face James Smith. The opening two sets were shared before O’Driscoll wrapped up the match in four to leave Fusion disappointed and move the away team to second in the league. 

Ormesby made sure they still have a chance of finishing in the play-offs as they overcame Ormeau 4-3 in a terrific encounter.

Sining Zhang was in scintillating form as he helped the north-east side to victory. He won both his singles matches, as well as his doubles tie, as Ormeau were beaten 4-3 in Middlesbrough.

Alexis Lebrun also won both his singles matches to give Ormeau hope, but after Darius Knight beat Matt Ware in five the tie was beyond the Belfast side.  

Ormesby now sit in fifth place just one point behind Ormeau and Archway Peterborough in third and fourth respectively, although they both have a game in hand.  

Archway Peterborough secured their third consecutive win in comfortable style as they beat Urban TTC 6-1. The Harlow based club went into the tie as unbeaten league leaders but were shocked by a superb performance from Jia Wang Song who didn’t drop a set in either of his singles ties. Chris Doran also went unbeaten on as Archway showed signs they could be title contenders as the play-off stages approach.  

In a sign of how close the league could end up, Ormeau and Archway Peterborough have shared almost exactly the same fate this season. They have both won three of their four games and 18 of the 28 sets played. Ormeau sit in third thanks only to the fact they have won 64-40 sets, to Archway Peterborough’s 63-40. 

Urban TTC will take on Ormeau on 22nd February in a hotly anticipated tie. Also taking place in the penultimate round of the Premier Division, Fusion will play Archway Peterborough and North Ayrshire face Ormesby.

Results

Fusion 3 BATTS 4
Kazeem Adeleke bt Josh Bennett 3-1 (6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8)
Paul Lavergne bt James Smith 3-1 (11-7, 8-11, 12-10, 11-5)
Lavergne/Michael O’Driscoll bt Adeleke/Lorestas Trumpauskas 3-2 (11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6)
Trumpauskas bt O’Driscoll 3-2 (5-11, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7, 13-11)
Lavergne bt Adeleke 3-0 (11-3, 11-7, 11-5)
Trumpauskas bt Bennett 3-0 (11-4, 11-8, 11-9)
O’Driscoll bt Smith 3-1 (11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8)

Archway Peterborough 6 Urban 1
Jia Wang Song bt Alim Hirji 3-0 (11-8, 11-8, 11-3)
Chris Doran bt Matej Mamut 3-2 (8-11, 11-5, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6)
Song/Doran bt Mamut/Shohei Nishi 3-1 (11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 12-10)
Nishi bt Callum Evans 3-2 (13-11, 2-11, 6-11, 20-18, 11-6)
Song bt Mamut 3-0 (11-9, 11-8, 11-7)
Evans bt Hirji 3-1 (12-10, 8-11, 11-5, 11-8)
Doran bt Nishi 3-0 (11-4, 11-8, 11-8)

Ormesby 4 Ormeau 3
Sining Zhang bt Matt Ware 3-0 (11-5, 11-0, 11-4)
Lucas Molland bt Josh Wetherby 3-0 (12-10, 11-5, 11-7)
Zhang/Darius Knight bt Molland/Alexis Lebrun 3-0 (14-12, 11-5, 11-5)
Lebrun bt Knight 3-0 (14-12, 11-8, 11-8)
Zhang bt Molland 3-0 (11-2, 11-9, 11-3)
Knight bt Ware 3-2 (11-6, 4-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-5)
Lebrun bt Weatherby 3-2 (11-6, 8-11, 2-11, 11-8, 4-11)