Table Tennis: Leaders Amotherby closing in on the crown (From Gazette & Herald)

Table Tennis: Leaders Amotherby closing in on the crown

2:51pm Wednesday 6th March 2013 in Sport

DIVISION one leaders Amotherby ‘A’ beat understrength Coneysthorpe ‘A’ 8-2 to boost their title bid in the Ryedale League.

Second-place Helmsley ‘A’ had an identical result against Swinton to maintain the one-point difference at the top. However, Amotherby require only six points out of 12 in their two remaining games to take the title.

Amotherby were two up against Coneysthorpe before Tim Adams got one back against Pat Swindell despite a scare in the first game.

In-form Adams also got off to a storming start against Tom Needham, going two up and leading 7-1 in the third before Needham got a look-in. Needham fought back, winning the next two legs, and the decider was anybody’s until Adams’ death or glory shot in the dying stages deservedly earned victory.

This match, though, was topped by the contest between Swindell and Malcolm. Trailing hopelessly in the first game, Swindell fought back to win it, then took the next after some remarkable defending.

Haswell staged a ferocious comeback to level the score and it see-sawed all the way to a deuce in the fifth, Swindell finally taking the decider 12-10.

Adams looked in control against Paul Young in the first game until he pulled a muscle. With Adams unable to play the doubles, Amotherby ‘A’ closed out the match 8-2 to take full points.

In division two, Malton beat Ryedale Laundry 10-0 to regain top spot, by two points over Amotherby ‘C’ and with two games in hand.

Helmsley ‘B’ clinched second place in division three with two wins in a week, beating Amotherby ‘E’ 9-1 and Amotherby ‘F’ 8-2. They now wait to see who they will play in the second division play-off for a place in that division next season.