It has been a difficult season so far for the three Embassy teams in the Bradford League.

Embassy A are bottom of Division One, having lost all of their nine matches, while the B team have managed just one win in Division Two and they are also in bottom spot.

The C team are involved in a relegation battle in Division Four but have faired a little better so far.

They gained their third victory of the season at Baildon but only after a nightmare start.

The home side, fielding two reserves, led 3-0 and 4-2 as Rod Willey took two - Paul Robinson and David Bywater adding one each. But Embassy hit back with Palminder Sandhu and Clive Sherratt winning two each and the doubles while Steve Crossland added a vital single for a 6-4 win.

The Bradford League has seen the passing of Paul Sanderson, Eric Hill and Barry Porter in 2007 and now one of the most respected players ever to grace Bradford table tennis has also passed away.

Maurice Pits died last week at the age of 75. He was part of the dominant metal box team that won the league and cup 11 times between 1954 and 1966, and for any up-and-coming player to watch him in action was a great experience.

He was a superb defender and for a big man possessed wonderful footwork, which enabled him to suddenly switch to attacking mode.

He was a wonderful sportsman who was respected by everybody who played with or against him and was a marvellous ambassador for Bradford table tennis.