Big win for West Lothian Table Tennis Club A Team

Oct 27 2011 by Kieran Westbrook, West Lothian Courier

AN UNDER-STRENGTH West Lothian A Team clocked up their first Edinburgh and Lothians League Premier League victory with a 6-4 win over Edinburgh Sports Club.

For the second week running John McCulloch deputised for George Flanagan but, on this occasion, he was accompanied by two regulars in Brian Hunter and Lewis Hills.

Hunter was in imperious form in winning his three singles games.

Hills had a more difficult time but still won two while McCulloch took what became a vital game.

Given their performances in the singles, Hunter and Hills surprisingly lost the doubles. This lifted them to the heady position, for them, of mid table.

But next week sees them pitted against undefeated Murrayfield with Dariusz Szymczak in the team.

In Division One, the B Team too relied on a reserve because of unavailable regulars but still had an excellent away 6-4 victory against Edinburgh University.

McCulloch and Barrie Hills both won two and combined in a fighting fifth set win in the doubles.

Stepping up was young Aaron Cameron who acquitted himself particularly well with one win, but was unlucky in another where he lost closely in the deciding set.

In the same division, and on the same night, the C Team travelled to North Berwick with only two players in Andy MacDougall and Kevin Milne after a last minute call off, only to find the home team in similar circumstances.

Quite what the Match Secretary will make of this is anyone's guess.

However, they were unable to replicate last season's fine result there and succumbed without a win although MacDougall was unlucky not put a score on the board.

In yet another away fixture the D Team of Drew McLaren, Ian Wodecki and George Anderson went to Edinburgh International where they inflicted a 10-0 whitewash on their opponents.

In a very one-sided contest only one game went the distance.

The E Team had a fallow week but their next fixture pits them against the D Team and with four matches played. Both teams have four points but the E Team has a better games difference, but by only one game. The D Team is likely to be unchanged but if the E Team is to take anything from the match, team selection could be crucial.

The week's fine set of results continued with the F Team in Division Three where they beat Penicuik 8-2.

They were again ably led by Benny Flockhart and Graham Chambers who finished the night undefeated. Making up the trio was Paul Keddie, another returning after a long absence and he won one from three.

In yet another busy week there were also three matches in the West Lothian League.

In the first of these Avonbridge accounted for Bathgate with a 5-3 victory.

A former member, John Muir, showed up unexpectedly for the first time in many months and was immediately press ganged into action by Drew McLaren, the Bathgate team captain. Making up the team was Paul Keddie and they all won one apiece.

Playing for Avonbridge were Barrie Hills, John Swift and Peter Hagenbuch with Hills and Swift both winning two singles. Hills and Hagenbuch then won the doubles.

Simultaneously Eliburn also won 5-3 against Dedridge with a team of George Anderson and the father/daughter duo of Kevin and Rachel Milne.

Their games were won by Milne senior and Anderson but young Rachel almost won one, losing in only the deciding set.

Dedridge fielded Keith MacKay, Graham Chambers and Davie Dall who all won one each.

In the last match Torphichen lost 3-5 to Deer Park.

At this very early stage the league leaders are Whitburn but only on games difference while Bathgate find themselves at the other end in similar circumstances.