In six of the eight matches in the second round of the Braintree Table Tennis League handicap cup, it was the lower-ranked team who came through.

Five of the teams advancing to the quarter-finals are from division three while second division teams fill the other three places.

First division teams Sudbury Nomads, currently second in the league, plus Rayne A, Netts B, Black Notley B and Sudbury Wanderers all fell by the wayside.

Nomads were the major sufferers, falling 9-0 to division two Netts C. Facing opponents with starts between 11 and 14 up to 21, they took five sets to three games but Aron Jordan’s defeat at 21-19 in the third against Peter Lewis was the closest they got. Lewis, Chris Krelle and David Montgomery were on duty for Netts.

Nomads’ second team, the Wanderers, managed three sets against Notley G – all from David Hitchen, conceding 8, 11 and 14 – but could get no further.

Black Notley B also failed to score, although opponents Finchingfield B declared at 5-0. Lucien Nolan-Bradford (2), Ray Bradford (2) and Peter Dacey (1) saw them home.

Rayne A were the A team in name only, featuring as is allowed in the cup, two second division players plus one from division three. But Sudbury Drifters’ Terry Hunneybel (2), Tim Matthews (2) and Geoff Barrett (1) eased to a 5-2 win.

Of all the division one teams, Netts B came the closest to success. They pulled back from 1-4 to 4-4 against Sudbury Strollers before Ian Whipps (off +14) crept past Sean Clift.

Yeldham Whitlocks B had a walkover against Finchingfield A.

The two teams to buck the trend were Rayne E and Netts F. Netts F came past Notley H, one place below them in the league, and it was as close as might have been expected, with two unbeaten players, Ann Peart of Notley and Tom Verrier of Netts facing each other in the final singles with the score at 4-4. Verrier overcame the 12-point handicap to pull his team through.

Rayne E also came through 5-4 against Notley F and again needed the final set to take their place in the quarter-final. Richard Whiteside, who had lost his previous two singles, overcame Tony Brown (off +12)

The first division matches played before the cup week proved to be mostly predictable affairs. The top three won 9-1 (Netts A over Liberal B), 9-1 (Sudbury Nomads over Rayne B), 10-0 (Nomads again, this time over Notley B), and 9-1 (Rayne A over Sudbury Wanderers).

The exception was Netts B’s draw with Notley A, where Chris Parr won three sets against his former clubmates.