Run-away leaders Nemesis A reaffirmed their right to be at the top of the Keighley & District Table Tennis League First Division with a superb win away at Red Rose A. Mark Land took his unbeaten run to 15 with three straight victories, along the way getting the better of Keith Lee 8-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-3. John Stones and Steve Taylor both assisted the cause with defeats of Andrea Harrison and Cath Lawson, although Harrison was unlucky against both players, losing in the fifth on both occasions. Keith Lee scored both Rose's points with wins against Stones 13-11, 11-6, 11-5 and Taylor 8-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 to leave a final score of 8-2 to Nemesis.

In contrast to their stable-mates, Nemesis B sit precariously at the foot of the table following an 8-2 defeat at home to Embassy B. Although Dave Manogue took the first 11-8, 15-13, 11-9 against Peter Kitching, Nemesis' other point didn't arrive until the eighth rubber when Bob Underwood also got the better of Kitching 11-9, 11-7, 11-9. In between, both Carl White and Palminder Sandhu rattled up maximums for the visitors with Sandhu's 11-8, 13-11, 7-11, 10-12, 11-9 defeat of Manogue being a real nail-biter. Kitching and White added another for Embassy with an 11-9, 11-5, 3-11, 11-5 defeat of Manogue and Underwood in the doubles to take their team into second spot.

Ukrainians, with Rod Robertson turning out for the first time this season, battled hard for a home draw against Red Rose A. Robertson grabbed a couple with defeats of Keith Lee 11-9, 11-7, 11-3 and Andrea Harrison 11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 11-9 and Peter Holbrook also did a double with wins against Harrison and Jason Lee 11-7, 8-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7. Keith Lee hit back for the visitors with defeats of Holbrook 13-11, 12-10, 6-11, 12-10 and Jerry Harkaway and Jason Lee levelled it up for the Lancashire team with wins against Robertson 11-5, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5 and Harkaway. Harrison tipped the scales in favour of the visitors also with the defeat of Harkaway, but Holbrook and Robertson saved the day for Ukies with the defeat of the two Lees in the doubles 11-7, 11-5, 8-11, 12-10.

In Division two the meeting between the top and bottom ended with a predictable outcome. Airedale Terriers, heading the table by 5 points from Lothersdale B, were too strong for Johnson & Johnson despite the efforts of John Pullen who scored both the Gargrave boys points with defeats of Tom Lacey 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 and Stuart Myers 11-7, 15-17, 12-10, 6-11, 11-4. Paul Beck cruised through the match with a magnificent treble for the League leaders that included the defeat of Pullen 11-0, 11-5, 11-9.

Lothersdale C entertained Stockbridge Spartans and with only 4 points between the teams before the match commenced, the anticipated close encounter ensued. Andrew Lambe earned a couple for Lothersdale with defeats of Abid Hussain 11-1, 11-8, 11-0 and Ryan Foulds 12-10, 11-7, 11-6. Martin Mulligan also grabbed a couple with wins against Foulds and Ray Wallace 5-11, 11-8, 8-11, 13-11, 11-7. Hussain did well to defeat Jack Webber 3-11, 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9 and Mulligan 12-10, 12-14, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9 to earn the Spartans a couple, as did Wallace with wins against Lambe 11-7, 10-12, 11-8, 4-11, 11-9 and Webber. However a win for Webber against Foulds and a superb 11-7, 10-12, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7 defeat of Hussain and Wallace by Lambe and Mulligan snatched a 6-4 victory for Lothersdale.

Embassy C look to be running into a bit of form following a fine 7-3 away win against Wilsden. George Fletcher, playing for the hosts instead of Dave Broadbent, suffered a wretched evening, failing to register against Jeff Bennett, Nick Kaye and Derek Briggs. Luke Broadbent did well with wins for Wilsden against Bennett 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 12-10 and Kaye but a Briggs max that included the defeat of Adam Broadbent 8-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-7 set up a fine win for the Bingley team.

The clash of the titans at the top of Division Three was always going to need someone with a steady nerve to ensure a win for either team and, luckily for Crossflatts, they found that player in Danny McHugh who took his tally for the season to 14 from 15 with an outstanding performance against visitors Ilkley Road C. The defeat of Paul Stead 11-5, 11-3, 11-6 was followed by wins against Matthew Nutting 11-8, 11-4, 11-5 and Steve Ives 8-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-8. Stead and Ives both earned a couple for the Riddlesden team, but a tremendous 10-12, 11-9, 9-11, 11-1, 12-10 victory for McHugh and Anthony Mann in the doubles against Nutting and Ives confirmed a 6-4 win for the Crossflatts team and with it a berth at the top of the table.

St Wilf's A are now beginning to make strides up the table with their second win of the season coming away at Haworth. William Lister and John Mitchell both earned the Gilstead team three points with Mitchell's 5-11, 11-5, 10-12, 11-2, 12-10 win against Andy Bray and Lister's defeat of Steve Cole 11-8, 7-11, 4-11, 11-2, 11-13 proving to be epic encounters. A win for Pam Gabe, 11-9, 11-8, 25-23 against Bray, topped off a 7-3 success for St Wilf's.

RESULTS

Yorkshire Veterans League Division One: Keighley 1st 6, York 1st 4; Keighley 1st 4, Hull 1st 6; Bradford 2nd 3, Keighley 1st 7.

Division One: Embassy A 9, Ilkley Road A 1; Red Rose A 2, Nemesis A 8; Red Rose A 6, Embassy B 4; Nemesis B 2, Embassy B 8; Ukrainians 5, Red Rose A 5.

Division Two: Johnson & Johnson 2, Airedale Terriers 8; Lothersdale C 6, Stockbridge Spartans 4; Stockbridge Spartans 2, Airedale Terriers 8; Wilsden 3, Embassy C 7; Airedale Terriers 10, Ilkley Road B 0.

Division Three: Crossflatts 6, Ilkley Road C 4; Haworth 3, St Wilf's A 7; Ilkley Road C 7, South Craven 3.