By Ron Fosker

After a run of only one defeat in their last 18 matches, Felsted RBL B have come from behind to win division three of the Braintree Table Tennis League.

They clinched the title with a 7-3 win over Black Notley H in which Andy Laws, one of their mainstays, was unbeaten.

Laws won in three straight games against Helen Barnett, but was stretched to 11-9 in the fifth game by Jill Canning.

Barnett won her other two sets, while David Swash picked up two for Felsted.

Long-time leaders Rayne G finished with a 7-3 win over Notley F in which Leon Hewitt had a superb 11-9, 11-4, 14-12 win over Tony Stredder, who had been beaten only three times in 68 sets. Charles Wilkinson won his three singles, the first time he has bettered Stredder this season.

But it was Notley G who sneaked up into second place after a 10-0 win over Notley I.

Ian Wallace turned out for only the second time this season and, as in his first appearance, he took his three singles, albeit after a titanic struggle against Declan Baines, which he won at 14-12 in the fifth.

Felsted C finished with a 7-3 win over Rayne H in which each of their players won twice.

Nick Butler was the only one to beat Tim Townsend but the only one to lose to Brian Dixon.

Netts C have introduced a trio of 14-year-olds in their last few fixtures.

Following Joe Belsom’s debut earlier, it was Max Plumridge’s turn against Rayne I and Notley I and Lee Taylor’s for their final two matches, 8-2 defeats by both Notley I and Notley F.

Plumridge won a singles in both his matches.

It was their more established 14-year-old, Kierlan Richards, who has been playing all season, who won twice against Notley F.

In the Essex veterans’ weekend, Braintree A were only able to field two players but narrowly missed out against Colchester 5-4 in addition to a 7-2 defeat by Harlow.

Steve Kerns won the two sets against Harlow while Steve Pennell won twice against Colchester, including a 12-10-in-the-fifth win over his Rayne A team-mate John Andrews.

In division two, Braintree’s B team had a 5-4 win over the previously unbeaten Becontree. Hector Rogers won two singles and Adam Buxton one.