Beware the Batmen in table tennis tussle

NA Batmen have closed the gap to just eight points behind Torbay Academy 1 at the top of the South Devon and Torbay Table Tennis League First Division following a whitewash victory over Halwell A, Naomi Jackson, Dennis and Shaun Gibbs too strong for the Halwell team sitting at the foot of the table.

Father and son, Tim and Mark Burridge, were undefeated as NA Eagles defeated NA Condors 7-3 to consolidate their place ahead of the pack behind the front three. In a busy week for the NA Condors, they suffered a second 7-3 defeat at the hands of another Newton Abbot side, NA Parrots. Dan Webster-Hall and Rhys Lush with maximums for the Parrots.

In the only Second Division match, the points were shared between NA Raptors and NA Falcons. The Falcons’ Wojtek Cyron, returning from injury, secured a fine maximum.

Martin Dilkes and Colin Harrop were in top form as the Taverners closed in on Torre Titans at the top of Division Three with an 8-2 victory over Torbay Academy 3.

A Kevin Ayling maximum for Brixham Gulls helped them to a 7-3 victory over Dawlish Renegades, while Torbay Academy 4 lost out 6-4 to NA Hawks despite a fine maximum from the Academy’s Ionel Ichim.

Torre Gladiators’ march up the Fourth Division table continued with a win and a draw. A Lewis Lavery maximum helped the Gladiators to a share of the points against Torbay Academy 6, then it was a Robert Excell maximum that led the way to an 8-2 victory for the Gladiators over NA Ospreys.

Finally, the first team to reach the Handicap singles cup semi-finals are Brixham Sharks. The team of Clive Banham, Chris Harper and Joseph Edwards comfortably saw off the challenge from NA Hawks 26-10.