Table Tennis: Dallam clubs hold division two advantage (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Table Tennis: Dallam clubs hold division two advantage

6:00pm Wednesday 1st February 2012 in Sport By Patrick O'Kane, Senior News/Sport Reporter

DALLAM B and C have a massive 21-point cushion at the summit of the Division 2 table in the Kendal and District League, following big wins this week for the leading two sides.

Dallam B earned their tenth victory from eleven matches by sweeping aside bottom club Grayrigg A 8-2.

Tom and James Parkinson handed Dallam a 2-0 lead with straight sets victories against Doug Baxter and Ben Dixon but Jon Cooper hauled the strugglers onto the score sheet with an impressive win against Tom Jackson.

But Tom Parkinson’s three victories, including a nail-biting 11-9 triumph in the final set against Cooper, put Dallam in the driving seat at 5-1.

A glimmer of hope emerged for Grayrigg, when Cooper edged out an unfortunate James Parkinson 11-6 in a dramatic fifth set but Dallam confirmed the 8-2 win when Jackson and James Parkinson earned two wins apiece, in addition to an 11-8 success in the fourth set of the doubles.

Second placed Dallam C boosted their promotion hopes by comprehensively beating third placed Burton D 7-3. Burton stormed to a shock 2-1 advantage before Tom Carling steadied the Dallam ship with three wins.

Team mates Philbey and Hyman recovered to earn their side two wins apiece as Burton slip further adrift.

In Division 3, Dent B hold second place after a narrow 18-17 success against Crook D, meaning the gap between themselves and leaders Dallam E is a massive 49 points.

Meanwhile, Natland D’s promotion hopes look a little out of reach as they could only muster up a 20-15 triumph against their struggling E team.

Richard San Jose performed heroics by winning three matches, adding to Glen Allen’s 11-4, 11-8, 11-8 victory over Fiona Thompson.

Natland D’s Rob Clarke and Tim Marris also performed magnificently with a brace of wins each. The result leaves Natland E in third, 56-points from a promotion place, while Natland D lie one place above the relegation zone in ninth.