With only one week to go in the Keighley & District Table Tennis League, the destination of two out of the three divisional titles is yet to be decided. In Division One, Embassy 'A' maintained their momentum at the top with a clear cut 9-1 win at home to Lothersdale 'A' to take their unbeaten run this season to 13. Geoff Grange played well for his max that included the defeat of David Adams 9-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-9. Gareth Wiles chalked up his eighth treble of the season in style with wins against Bob Davis 11-7, 11-6, 12-10; Adams 11-7, 11-6, 11-9 and Keith Wilkinson 15-13, 11-3, 14-12. Carl White earned the Bingley team another couple before teaming up with Grange to win the doubles 11-6, 11-9, 11-9 against Adams and Wilkinson. Adams earned Lothersdale's only point with a win against White 11-9, 6-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8.

Intriguingly, Nemesis 'A' in second place slipped up somewhat against the same Lothersdale team. Steve Taylor, back to top form, helped himself to a treble for the title chasers, along the way getting the better of Keith Wilkinson 11-9, 11-5, 11-5. But it was a different story for his team mates as John Stones could only manage a couple, losing his seventh of the season to Keith Wilkinson 11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8 whereas John Lister lost to both David Adams 11-8, 4-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-6 and Wilkinson before the two Lothersdale players combined in the doubles to finish of Stones and Taylor 13-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-7 to end the match as a narrow 6-4 victory for Nemesis 'A'. Recognition is due this season to the contribution of Wilkinson to the efforts of Lothersdale. The ex-county cricketer has improved his average from 66% last season to 82% so far this time - a higher aggregate than any of the three Nemesis players who, nevertheless, still remain in with a good chance of winning the title.

In Division Two, both Lothersdale 'C' and Nemesis had their promotion to Division One confirmed, but which one will win the Championship is still to be decided. Lothersdale visited Ilkley Road 'A' who gave them a searching examination, yet still ended up as 9-1 losers! The fact that Lothersdale won 4 out of the 5 rubbers requiring a fifth proves what spirit and tenacity there is in the squad. Both Andrew Lambe and Richard Crookes earned their team hard fought trebles that included a win for Lambe against Steve Barton 11-7, 11-9, 11-5 and for Crookes 11-8, 11-8, 7-11, 8-11, 11-9 against Roy Towler. Martin Mulligan allowed a consolation for the Riddlesden team, losing to Towler 11-9, 11-2, 7-11, 4-11, 11-8. This victory puts Lothersdale top of the table, but only three points ahead of Nemesis 'B' with both teams having two matches remaining.

Elsewhere in Division Two, Cononley Sports played host to Crossflatts 'A' in a highly entertaining encounter. Paul Lister played well for Cononley, grabbing a couple against Danny McHugh 9-11, 13-11, 18-16, 9-11, 11-7 and Anthony Mann, but the undoubted star of the evening was Mark Webster who took his tally for Crossflatts to 32 from 42 with a magnificent treble that included a win against Lister 11-9, 11-9, 11-7. McHugh earned the visitors another couple with wins against Michael Mitchell 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9 and Stuart Maude 11-5, 11-4, 12-10 before partnering Webster to pinch the doubles and with it the match 6-4 against Mitchell and Lister.

In Division Three, congratulations go to Skipton LTC who have clinched the title in their first season in the League and with a week to spare. Prior to doing a 10-0 demolition job on Haworth Hawks - never a push over - Skipton visited second placed Crossflatts and confirmed their position as worthy Champions with a stunning display. Ryan Foulds, the top player in the Third, started well for Crossflatts with a win against Graeme Davies 11-7, 6-11, 11-2, 11-8, but the only other point won by the hosts came in the eighth when John Patrick also got the better of Graeme Davies in an otherwise one sided contest. Calum Davies and memorably Harry Davies 12-10, 13-11, 14-16, 9-11, 12-10 inflicted only the 5th and 6th defeats of the season on Foulds on their way to trebles. Graeme Davies beat James Marshall 11-4, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7 and then teamed up with his brother to win the doubles handsomely 11-6, 11-7, 11-7, the match 8-2 and the Championship by a twenty point margin from Crossflatts.

Results

Division One: Embassy 'A' 9, Lothersdale 'A' 1; Lothersdale 'A' 7, Lothersdale 'B' 3; Lothersdale 'A' 4, Nemesis 'A' 6; Ukrainians 6, Airedale Terriers 4.

Division Two: Cononley Sports 4, Crossflatts 'A' 6; Ilkley Road 'A' 1, Lothersdale 'C' 9; Wilsden 5, Embassy 'C' 5.

Division Three: Crossflatts 'B' 2, Skipton LTC 8; Denholme 4, Haworth Hawks 6; Embsay 10, Fastbats 0; Skipton LTC 10, Haworth Hawks 0; South Craven 6, Crossflatts 'B' 4.