Keighley's table tennis teams are going great guns in the Yorkshire League this season. With two matches to play the Veterans 1st team are unbeaten in second place of the Second Division behind Bradford, and with the 2nd team due to play the leaders in the last match of the season a win or draw for the second string would secure the title for Keighley 1st. Also, in the prestigious Yorkshire Men's League, Keighley sit proudly at the top with only three matches remaining. The last two home matches in the Yorkshire League will be at Haworth Community Centre on the 2nd and 30th of March. Additionally, Keighley Juniors currently lead the Yorkshire Junior League

In the Keighley & District Table Tennis League First Division, Embassy 'B' enjoyed success at Airedale Terriers with Palminder Sandhu and Matthew Mellor both remaining undefeated. A 21-9, 22-20 win for Sandhu against Mark Emmott and Mellor's 21-18, 21-14 defeat of the same player were their best performances. Tom Lacey and Emmott earned the home team's points with wins against Peter Kitching to leave the score 8-2 in favour of the Bingley team.

Embassy 'A' meanwhile, had a far tougher time at home to Nelson Nomads. Peter Kirby remained undefeated for the champions elect, although Michael Wrigley pushed him to three 21-13, 19-21, 21-9. Neil Foley grabbed a couple more for Embassy with wins against Wrigley 21-6, 13-21, 21-12 and Catherine Lawson 21-11, 21-18, but Derek Briggs, stepping up from Division Two, showed great endeavour but lacked success as the visitors collected three of their four points against him, the other coming with Foley's 21-16, 18-21, 21-19 defeat at the hands of David Ayrton.

Lothersdale 'B' failed to gain much ground on third bottom Ukrainians with an 8-2 home defeat to Embassy 'B' in one of their two matches in hand over their relegation rivals. The two points scored by Peter Midgley with a 23-21, 21-21 defeat of Matthew Mellor, and David Galley, with a 16-21, 21-15, 21-19 win against Mick Czuba, may prove insufficient in the final shake-up. Ziggy Cwiklinski was best player for the winners with a superb treble that included the 21-17, 21-18 defeat of Galley.

With six rubbers requiring a third, the pick of the matches in Division Two this week must be the draw between St Peter's and visitors Lothersdale 'C' that could so easily have resulted in an 8-2 win for either team. Jack Anderson set the tone with his 21-8, 16-21, 21-12 win in the first against Paul Griffin. St Peter's Tony Richardson was unfortunate not to add to his defeat of Anderson, going down to Richard Crookes 13-21, 21-12, 21-14 and Martin Mulligan 24-22, 14-21, 21-4; but Richard Foster held it together for the hosts with his three wins coming in dramatic fashion against Anderson 17-21, 21-17, 21-17; Crookes 21-12, 21-23, 24-22 and Mulligan 16-21, 21-15, 21-18.

Oakworth did their relegation worries serious damage with a superb 8-2 home victory against Cononley Sports. Ben Lowe, back to somewhere near his best, notched a treble that included the defeat of Paul Lister 21-16, 18-21, 21-18. Steve Smith defeated Stuart Maude 21-12, 2-20 and Eric Hudson and Jason Proctor got the better or Maude and Lister 21-13, 14-21, 21-13 before teaming up with the impressive Lowe to wrest the doubles from Maude and Hudson 21-7, 20-22, 21-18.

In Division Three, Debabrata Deb's heroics for St Wilf's 'B' couldn't save his team from defeat. The rapidly improving Gilstead player ran in a treble that included the 21-23, 21-10, 21-16 defeat of Steve Ives. Unfortunately for him, his team mates Doreen and David Anderson couldn't quite match his exploits as the Roaders ran out worthy 7-3 winners.

Paul Stead stepped up from the 'C' to champions elect Ilkley Road 'B' at home to Haworth 'B' and did himself proud with first time wins against Tom Hagyard 21-12, 21-18 and the vastly experienced Ronnie Farrar 21-19, 21-23, 21-16. Robert McLean battled away to register a 24-22, 24-22 win against Brian Lowe on his way to a max in his team's 9-1 victory.

RESULTS

Yorkshire League Vets; Keighley 1st 9, Leeds 2nd 1; Keighley 2nd 7, Bradford 4th 3; Keighley 3rd 2, Ryedale 8.

Keighley League Div. One: Airedale Terriers 2, Embassy 'B' 8; Embassy 'A' 6, Nelson Nomads 4; Lothersdale 'B' 2, Embassy 'B' 8; Nelson Nomads 10, Airedale Terriers 0.

Division Two: Embassy 'C' 1, Ilkley Road 'A' 9; Oakworth 8, Cononley Sports 2; St Peter's 5, Lothersdale 'C' 5.

Division Three: Ilkley Road 'B' 9, Haworth 'B' 1; Ilkley Road 'C' 7, Crossflatts 'A' 3; St Wilf's 'B' 3, Ilkley Road 'C' 7.