Great Yeldham have pulled back a 10-point deficit to climb to the top of division three of the Braintree Table Tennis League.

They shared the lead with Netts D after four and five matches but Netts then moved away and had built up a 10-point lead after nine matches.

But a 10-0 Yeldham win over Netts E coupled with a 6-4 defeat for Netts D at the hands of Black Notley G has left the two teams level on points and wins with three matches to play. Yeldham are ahead as they have drawn two and lost one, compared with Netts’ three defeats.

Netts’ latest defeat illustrated how much they owe to Charles Calisin. He was away for the Notley G match and although Jimmy Calisin and Michael Goodchild won two each, Graham Chinnery’s three singles and the doubles with Peter Game were instrumental in the win. Chinnery’s win over Jimmy Calisin avenged one of only two defeats he has suffered in 39 sets.

Netts’ E team were unable to help their seniors and lost all but one of their sets against Yeldham in straight games.

Earlier it was Yeldham’s turn to tackle Notley G and they went one better than Netts D by claiming a draw.

The same week, Netts D beat Notley’s I team 8-2.

Fourth-placed Rayne G were beaten 6-4 by their own H team and held to a draw by Notley H. Chris High took five out of six over the two matches.

Sudbury Strollers moved up a place to eighth with two strong wins, 9-1 over Netts E and 8-2 against Finchingfield. Geoff Barrett was unbeaten in his six singles.

In division one, the likelihood that Netts A would be handing over the title to Rayne A became a near certainty after the meeting between the two resulted in a 9-1 win for the latter, who now lead by 25 points.

Mark Mulley and Paul Lucas were unbeaten while Paul Davison notched up Netts’ consolation with a win over Adam Buxton.

Rayne C moved level with Netts A – though from one more match – after a 6-4 win over a two-person Liberal A whereas Rayne B’s two people fared rather better against Liberal C, Ryan Pitt (3) and Peter Hance (2) registering a 6-4 victory.

An unbeaten Omar Wasi led Notley B to a 6-4 win over Sudbury Nomads while in division two, Rayne D had an 8-2 win over their own F team.