Rastrick dug deep to deny Hermits B a first Bradford Table Tennis League win of the season as the bottom two teams in Division Three drew 5-5.

A win for Hermits would have lifted them above their second-bottom opponents, who have just one win to date as they try to cope without Terry Bostock through ill health.

They looked on course to break that duck when opening up a 5-2 lead as Les Packer and Terry Halliday won twice each and Martin Jackson beat Peter Mitchell.

But Mick Whitham stopped Halliday 11-8 in the fifth, followed by Ronnie Maystone beating Packer 11-7 in a decider, before the Rastrick duo saved a point by taking the doubles in straight games.

The Division Four promotion race is dominated by three teams, with one point separating Hermits C, Hermits F and Hermits D.

Hermits F were saved from defeat by Malcolm Fowler in their 5-5 draw with Baildon A.

The visitors took a 5-2 lead through Peter Warner and Chris Willey, who both claimed two sets, and Steve Crossland’s single. But Fowler recorded a maximum for Hermits, Stewart Varley added a single and this pair also took the doubles.

In Division Five, Hermits K are finding their feet with some players who have not experienced league table tennis before and previously they had not managed to take a set during four defeats.

But they managed a 5-5 draw against Hermits J with major help from Phil White, who has played before and won all his three singles.

North African student Gerrit Tcheunou chipped in with a single, before White and Gerry Raine took the doubles.

BRADFORD LEAGUE – Division One: Unity A 7, Police 3; Highdale A 5, Dewsbury Tog 5; Police 7, Dewsbury Sedbergh 3; Embassy B 10, Highdale C 0; Dewsbury Sedbergh 3, Highdale B 7. Division Two: Unity B 9, Laisterdyke A 1; Fastbats B 0, Unity C 10. Division Three: Fastbats C 5, Fastbats D 5; Rastrick 0, Embassy C 10; Pudsey 6, Laisterdyke B 4; Hermits X 6, Rastrick 4; Hermits B 5, Rastrick 5; Embassy C 8, Laisterdyke C 2. Division Four: Hermits F 5, Baildon A 5; Hermits D 9, Hermits E 1; Baildon B 2, Hermits F 8; Hermits G 2, Hermits C 8. Division Five: Hermits K 5, Hermits J 5; Hermits H 7, Salem 3; Thornbury 5, Hermits I 5.

YORKSHIRE VETS LEAGUE – Division Three: Bradford-3 5, Huddersfield-2 5.