Clean sweep in cup ties for St Andrews teams

Four teams were involved on Monday evening.

Prefects played an interesting Stanley Doubles tie at Forthill against Sputniks, a team two divisions below them but who are strengthened this season by the occasional presence of David Sim.

While Howard Lee, Michael Hahn and Peter Bladen did emerge with a comfortable 5-1 scoreline, four of the ties went to four sets and two required a decider.

Meanwhile, in the Secondary Shield, New Kids were the first team through thanks to a walkover granted by Tass in unusual circumstances.

Their team was scuppered when one of their players, on setting out to travel to the match, found that his car had been clamped.

Fortunately, the two teams scheduled for the Victory Memorial Hall made it to the table.

Swots were also taking on lower division opponents in Squires but, with Collin Bleak and Rob Brown in no mood to be generous, each winning three ties with the loss of only a single end, and Dave Beveridge pitching in with another point, the Mylnefield trio were comfortably dispatched with a 7-2 victory.

A closer battle took place on the adjacent table with Prospects hosting fellow Division Three outfit Villa.

Fabio Sani got the home side off to a good start, followed up by an excellent win by Sandy Pearson against Jim Fleming, the master of the combination bat.

Thereafter the wins swung back and forwards but with Dave Goddard adding a win to another two points from Fabio and Sandy, the home side got over the finishing line 5-3 without the need for a final deciding tie.

And so to the fortunes of our final team. Truants’ trio of Graham Wood, Alain Leger and Knut Radmer headed over to Ward Road Gym on Tuesday evening.

Unusually for the showpiece venue, their tie against Lairds was the only one scheduled for the evening but their opponents failed to turn up.

A most unusual breach of etiquette and not the way which Truants would have chosen to progress.

It’s back to league business for the area’s table tennis clubs next week.