Team handicap competition

Group results and tables

Semi-finals (at RI on Tuesday 2nd September 2014)

York RI B 6 (Mikey Arnold 2-1, Ben Lockyer 3-0, Dave Smith 1-2) Holgate C 3 (John Farmery 2-1, Pete Waring 0-3, Bob Young 1-2)

Bootham C 6 (Rich Harrison 2-1, Jimmy Mills 3-0, Lee Poulter 1-2) Bootham A 3 (Russ Barton 1-2, Jason Chinnian 1-2, Jan Suchecki 1-2)

Final (at RI on Thursday 4th September 2014)

York RI B 5.5 (Mikey Arnold 3-0, Ben Lockyer 2-0, Peter Smalley 0.5-1.5) Bootham C 1.5 (Rich Harrison 0.5-2.5, Jimmy Mills 0-2, Lee Poulter 1-1)

Report from Mike Dinsdale (Summer League Secretary)

This year’s Summer League final was a keenly fought match between Bootham A (Jimmy Mills, Rich Harrison, Lee Poulter) and York RI B (Mikey Arnold, Ben Lockyer, Peter Smalley, and non-playing captain Dave Smith), with York RI B eventually winning out 5.5 - to 1.5, a score-line that belies the level of competition and quality of the game play of all.

York RI B, who significantly beat Bootham A in their divisional matches, were feeling confident, but were rocked when Peter Smalley lost heavily, against form, in the first game against an inspired Lee Poulter and could not recover. This fired up the two young guns, Mikey and Ben, who came out blazing with superb table tennis for young players who have just completed their first competitive season in div 4.

Mikey opened his account with an emphatic win over Rich. Ben backed this up by beating Jimmy and Lee. Peter contributed with a shared match in the middle against Rich. Then came a thrilling game between Jimmy and Mikey; both players giving their best, Jimmy holding Mikey down to his handicap, 14, in the first and just holding on in the second to win 21-19, but losng the match overall 47-42.

Ben then sealed the win for York RI B with a quality display to swap games 21-19 with Rich but, with handicap, come out the emphatic winner at 58-40.

The cup and awards were presented by York & District TT Chair Tim Smith, who in his speech summed up his pleasure at witnessing some great table tennis both in the semis and the finals and that, with the young players coming through from the Millthorpe coaching academy, table tennis is looking healthy in York. Tim thanked Mike for organising the competition.