CROOK C moved three points clear at the summit of Kendal and District Table Tennis League Division Three with a 22-15 victory over Dallam F.

The latest triumph was their eighth win of the campaign which sees them top the table while holding a crucial game in hand over nearest rivals Burton E. 

Crook struggled early on as Dallam’s Norman Philbey dispatched Andy Gilchrist and Hugh Symmons 9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 and 11-5, 11-7, 11-3 respectively.

However, they found a higher gear thanks to Chris Mowat and Gilchrist beating George Duxbury while Symmons eased his earlier woes by defeating Torin Malkin 11-7, 11-4, 11-7.

Philbey continued to bolster Dallam’s ever-fading interest as he claimed his third win of the night 11-8, 11-6, 11-6 against Mowat.

Crook finally snatched victory after Gilchrist and Symmons teamed up in the doubles, earning an 11-8 victory in the fifth set.

Second-placed Burton E lost ground on the leaders after a shock 26-12 defeat at the hands of an impressive Kirkby Stephen C.

Aidan Branch got Burton off to a cracking start thanks to four-set victories over Chris Horn and John Metcalf.

Eric Robinson steadied the Kirkby ship by comfortably winning his three matches while Horn and Metcalfe won their remaining two clashes to steer Kirkby to a seventh win of the season.

Third-placed Grayrigg A are still in the hunt for promotion as they swept aside Natland F 26-11 with Sam Housego scooping the man of the match award with three wins.

Anthea Bevan was Natland’s main threat thanks to two five-set wins against Ben Littlewood and Doug Baxter, 11-8 and 11-4 respectively.

This success leaves Grayrigg 11 points off a promotion place, with a game in hand over Burton E.

Dallam E lie in sixth-place only one point ahead of Grayrigg B after losing to Crook C, while Grayrigg B are second-bottom with only three victories to their name.