Netts A have clinched the Braintree Table Tennis League title, their fourth win in five years and ninth overall.

They are now out of reach of Sudbury Nomads, despite the latter’s 8-2 win over their clubmates the Wanderers.

Aron Jordan and Richard Fifield were unbeaten in Nomads’ latest success, which leaves them needing only two points in their final match to ensure the runners-up medals.

That would put them out of reach of Rayne A, who beat Liberal B 9-1. Doubtless they would have been closer had Paul Lucas been available, but this was only his second match of the season.

Netts B moved into fifth place – Chris Parr unbeaten – with an 8-2 win over Black Notley B while Brandon Crouchman made a rare appearance to enable Liberal A to draw at Rayne B.

Division Two leaders Rayne C can’t get the champagne out yet but a 6-4 win over Sudbury Strollers, the only team who could technically overtake them, means it won’t be long.

Against Strollers, Matthew Brown gained revenge on David Fiddeman, one of only two people to beat him so far, and with almost identical scores. In November Fiddeman won 11-8, 11-6, 11-8. This time Brown took it 11-6, 11-8, 11-9.

The rest of the division swapped places as usual with Notley C moving back up to second place despite a 6-4 defeat at the hands of Yeldham Whitlocks A. Jamie Brooks won his three singles for Notley plus the doubles with Jim Davy.

Netts D shared the points with Finchingfield A, with JJ Calisin unbeaten, while Notley D hold on their place is looking more unsteady after their 8-2 defeat by Rayne E.

In Division Three it is Finchingfield B’s grip that is unravelling – in their case on the top spot. After establishing a comfortable lead at the top when they won their first seven matches, they have now won only twice in the last seven, the latest defeat coming at the hands of Netts F, where James Howard’s three sets led them to a 7-3 victory.

That enabled Notley E to stretch their lead at the top after an 8-2 win over bottom team Netts E, for whom Lindsey Dodd won twice but couldn’t get past Dave Parker.

Fourth-placed Rayne G lost 6-4 to Notley G, the team immediately below them while Sudbury Drifters had an 8-2 win over Rayne G and Notley F beat a two-person Yeldham B 9-1.

Wayne Wilson, Matthew Brown and Peter Davenport were the major winners at the first individual championships weekend.

Wilson won the handicap singles while Brown was successful in the division two singles and Davenport in the division three equivalent.

Wilson, giving away a three-point start, beat James Howard in the final of the handicap 21-13, 21-17, and Davenport 21-15, 21-17 in the semi-final, this time receiving three start.

Davenport’s success in the division three event came at the expense of Howard’s Netts F teammate Tom Verrier 11-4, 11-8, 4-11, 12-10 in the final after a win over Howard in the semi-final.

Brown had a close match with Charles Calisin in the semi-final of the division two event, pulling through only at 11-8 in the fifth game, before beating David Fiddeman 11-4, 11-7, 12-10 in the final – just four days after beating him in the league.

Alesha Ellis-Austin and Ashley Skeggs will contest the division one final on finals night on April 24. They progressed via Rev Matthews and Ken Lewis respectively in the semi-finals.

The final of the handicap doubles, where partners are randomly drawn on the day, was won by Adam Clift and James Grimston, on minus 12, over Cley Dearsley and Ethan Collins 24-22, 21-19.

Skeggs won the hardbat singles with an 8-11, 11-4, 11-8 victory in the final over Steve Noble.