By Ron Fosker

Felsted RBL B have put themselves in the driving seat in division three of the Braintree Table Tennis League after a win over long-time leaders Rayne G.

They followed it up with an 8-2 win over Netts C and now lead the table by six points.

Their win over Rayne G, who have led the table since mid-November, was a team effort in which Andy Laws, David Swash and Dean Wood all won twice.

Tony Stredder was in imperious form for Rayne, dropping only one game in taking his three sets, and he and Charles Wilkinson scored their tenth win out of ten in the doubles.

But Felsted took the rest, and it was the first time this season that Wilkinson had failed to register in the singles.

The win over Netts C was more straightforward but there was a good performance from Netts’ Slim Hardy, who beat both Wood and Swash.

Rayne G remain well ahead of third-placed Black Notley G whose two-man team beat Notley F 7-3, their fifth successive win by the same score.

Notley’s H team climbed up to fourth place after a draw at Rayne I.

Jim Davy won twice for Notley and Ian Rubens and Barry Mouser twice for Rayne.

Declan Baines was unbeaten in Notley I’s draw with Felsted C, while Nick Hasler and Tim Townsend took three each in Rayne H’s 7-3 win over Netts C.

Notley B and Liberal C both ate a little bit into Sible Hedingham’s lead in division two.

Hedingham had a battle to get over the line against Rayne F, where Richard Jennings’ win over Dave Marsh was effectively what turned a possible 5-5 into 6-4.

Notley B meanwhile had an 8-2 win over their own C team, where Gordon Fairchild was the only one to beat Matt Wallace, and Liberal C took all ten from Nomads.

In the battle of the E teams, Notley’s version emerged 6-4 winners against their Rayne equivalent.

Steve Noble’s three sets led the way.

Adam Purslow, Nick Readhead and Steve Willis all won once in bottom club Hedingham Lions’ 7-3 defeat by Notley D.