RAYNE have taken the first two cup trophies in the Braintree Table Tennis League.

The A team regained the Handicap Cup, which they last won in 2004, while the F team took the Restricted Knockout Cup for teams in the lower half of the league.

The F team were barely stretched in the final against their own G team and took five of the first six sets to claim the trophy.

Ted Sims won both his singles while Alastair Brown secured the trophy with an unexpected victory over Adam Purslow.

Peter Taylor’s win over Brown was the G team’s lone success.

The A team had to fight harder for their handicap success, although they originally appeared to be running away with it against Netts D.

They won the first four sets, but then hit the buffers as Netts came back to win the next three.

Lee McHugh, giving away eight points, set the tone at the start of the evening by just edging home 21-19 in the third game against Joe Meleschko.

Peter Lewis, with a 12 start, then made it tough for Dave Whiting, winning the first game and missing out only at 21-19 in the second before falling 21-15 in the third.

Steve Pennell, with the biggest uphill task of giving away 17 points, crept home 21-19, 22-20 against Michael Goodchild.

McHugh went on to beat Lewis but then Meleschko, Lewis and Goodchild all dug in to win the next three singles before McHugh again found a way home, 22-20, 22-20 against Goodchild.

In the league, Rayne E clinched the division two title in style after dropping only two points in their last three matches.

They beat Felsted RBL A and Rayne D 9-1 and Rayne G 10-0.

Steve Siggs was unbeaten in all three matches.

Second-placed Black Notley C finished on a high with wins of 10-0 over Rayne G and 8-2 at Nomads.

Notley’s D team also finished with an unexpected spurt.

After winning only three of their first 25 matches, they finished by winning their last two, 6-4 against Nomads and 7-3 over Felsted B.

Their win over Nomads was only the second occasion Nomads have lost with Ken Lewis in the team. As the other occasion was against division winners Rayne E, they are in good company.

Adam Clift can be particularly pleased with his excellent win over Kevin Saunders.

Felsted A beat Rayne F 7-3 and drew with Rayne D.

Matthew Laws and Richard Upson won five out of six.

In the league’s individual awards, the most promising girl trophy was won by Mia Charles while the most promising boy title went to Charlie Roe.

The award for progress and application in coaching was won by Nathan Rahman.