Drumchapel Glasgow survived an unexpected hiccup to claim the Premier Division title at the Women’s British League in Wolverhampton.

Player of the Weekend was Bly Twomey of Brighton, while the Team of the Weekend award went to Division Five’s Norwich City.

Player of the Weekend Bly Twomey receives her award from Table Tennis England Director Sally Hughes
Team of the Weekend Norwich City with Sally Hughes

The Solihull Trophy was awarded to umpire Beate Nicol. The award is for a coach, official or player who has most enhanced the WBL this season, based on the most nominations from clubs

Going into the second weekend with a three-point lead at the top of the Premier Division, there were no alarms in Drumchapel’s first match as they thumped Halton 6-0, while nearest rivals Ormesby dropped a point as they drew 3-3 against Colebridge. Ormesby were twice behind in that one and then led 3-2, but Anna Green’s 3-2 (8-11, 10-12, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8) comeback win over Rebecca Savage rescued a point for Colebridge.

Colebridge were then equally stubborn against the leaders in the next round, levelling twice through Lara Whitton’s double, before Drumchapel won the final two matches 3-2 – Bethany O’Connell defeating Megan Jones and Alicja Czarnomska overcoming Sara Williams.

Ormesby kept in touch with a 5-1 victory over Fusion, a result which did not herald what came next – a 5-1 win for Fusion over Drumchapel.

Elena Todirca started the rout in the first match against Hannah Silcock, winning in three. The next three matches all went to a decider and after they had been played, the scoreline stood at 3-1 to Fusion – wins for Maria Engleson against Czarnomska and Silcock sandwiching O’Connell’s victory over Tiana Dennison.

Todirca made sure of the victory in three against O’Connell, and Dennison completed the thumping win as she saw off Czarnomska in four.

With Ormesby beating Dun Laoire 4-2, it meant there was a two-point gap heading into the final day, which was maintained in round 9 as Drumpchael beat Dun Laoire and Ormseby defeated Halton, both 5-1.

With sets difference taken into account, it meant a 6-0 whitewash for Ormesby over Drumchapel in the final round would wrest the title out of the Scottish club’s grasp.

When Mollie Patterson won the first match 7, 5, 7 against Czarnomska, the heat was turned up – but Silcock doused the flames as she won 3-1 (11-8, 8-11, 12-10, 12-10) against Karin a Le Fevre.

Ella Pashley beat O’Connell to put Ormesby back in front, but Drumchapel set the seal on their victory by taking the next three matches, including in-the-decider victories for Czarnomska over Pashley and O’Connell over Le Fevre.

So, although it threatened to be closer, the final gap at the top was four points, with Ormesby settling for runners-up, three points ahead of Fusion.

None of the top three had the leading player in the averages, though – that accolade belonged to Dun Laoire’s Mia O’rahilly Egan, who won 19 out 20 matches, losing only to Drumchapel’s Silcock.

Premier Division Winners Drumchapel Glasgow

Division One threatened in advance to be a thriller, with four teams separated by just one point at the top at the start of the weekend.

Fusion II fell away, gaining only one more point across the weekend, but leaders Joola Plymouth, along with Byng Hall and Draycott & Long Eaton, continued to trade points.

The only dropped point across the first two rounds was Plymouth’s 3-3 draw against Brighton, but they retained the leadership going in to Sunday, thanks to their win over Fusion on Saturday evening.

Draycott and Byng Hall drew 3-3 in the same round, Draycott leading three times but ultimately being pegged back by Letitia McMullan’s double and Jurate Brazaityte’s 3-2 (6-11, 2-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-7) win in the final match, against Isabelle Lacorte.

A critical result followed in Sunday’s first round as Byng Hall thumped Plymouth 5-1, meaning Draycott took over the lead thanks to their 6-0 win over Plymouth’s second string.

Byng Hall were a point behind but a 3-3 draw against Brighton in the final round (Brighton recovered from 3-1 down) meant Draycott only needed a draw against Plymouth firsts to claim the title – a Plymouth win would have left all three teams tied.

In the event, Draycott won 4-2, never trailing but twice being pegged back before they won the last two.

Naomi Coker took a double in that final match, and she topped the averages with 15 wins from 16 (93.75%), ahead of McMullan’s 17/20.

Division 1 winners Draycott & Long Eaton

Division Two turned into a coronation for Wensum, who extended their four-point lead into an eight-point winning margin.

They could not complete a perfect season, however, as they drew 3-3 against Drumchapel Glasgow II in the final round – Wensum were 3-1 up but were pegged back by Thuy Cashman’s double and an eye-catching scoreline in the final match as Alisa Khalid beat Violet-Lily Marquis 3-2 (9-11, 11-9, 14-16, 12-10, 11-5).

Wensum used seven players across the two weekends, with none playing more than 10. Mei Yin Au Yeung and Tsz Yan Nacy Yeh won all 10, while Ellenborough’s Hurey Ahmetoglu won 15/18 as the highest average of the regular players.

Division 2 winners Wensum

Cippenham are the Division Three winners, but only just as they finished ahead of Worthing on sets difference.

They led by two points going into the weekend, but a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Greenhouse levelled things up and another 4-2 setback in the next round, to Loop Dublin, meant Worthing now led.

Both won in the ninth round, setting up their final meeting nicely. Worthing needed a point, but any margin of victory would do for Cippenham.

They set down an early marker by winning the first two, and Mia Lakhani and Rachael Iles wen on to complete doubles to ensure the title for their team – third team member Anna Piercey losing her two matches in deciders.

Lakhani and Iles both had 16/20 records over the season, but were beaten to the top of the averages by Yixue Bai, who won 18/20 for Loop Dublin.

Division 3 winners Cippenham

Division Four champions Ackworth were unbeaten but not quite perfect – a draw against Cippenham II in the first weekend meant they finished on 19pts, five ahead of Youngs.

Ackworth did, however, dominate weekend two, their closest match a 4-2 win over their nearest rivals in the final round.

They also featured the two outstanding players in the averages – Sophie Ackred won all 17 or her matches, while team-mate Mia Longman was just behind on 17/18.

Division 4 winners Ackworth

Greenhouse II were the Division Five champions, finishing two points ahead of St Neots as weekend one leaders Drumchapel Glasgow III fell away to finish fourth, behind Cleeve Park.

Greenhouse prevailed 4-2 against St Neots in the final round to seal their title – it was poised at 2-2 when Jadeine Augustin beat Lily Walters 3-2 (4-11, 11-7, 13-15, 11-5, 11-9) and Anisha Rasan then completed the win.

Luna Archard of Greenhouse won 18/20 in the averages.

Division 5 winners Greenhouse