Round 6 saw the turn of Brighton to test themselves against the hosts BATTS, who had just received their first defeat of the season at the hands of Ormesby in round 5. Brighton seemed to pass the test with flying colours as they came out on top 6-1 winners. BATTS’ only victory came in the very first match as Haotian Chen maintained his good form and overcome Felix Thomis 3-1. The Essex side will feel as if this was an unlucky fixture for them, as they lost three contests in the fifth and final end, including 3-2 victories for Brighton’s Callum Evans over Isaac Kingham, and Felix Thomis who defeated Kingham also in the fifth end, after Evans and Thomis combined to take the doubles 3-2.

Ormeau again lost out by the narrowest of margins, suffering another 4-3 defeat, this time to North Ayrshire. Oriol Monzo maintained his 100% record on weekend two and again combined with Sophie Earley, the only female player to feature in this years Premier Division, to take the doubles. Two victories for Colin Dalgleish helped send North Ayrshire on their way to victory, before the win was secured by Lode Hulshof over Earley in the deciding match when he scores were level at 3-3, despite Earley taking the first end, the new Dutch signing recovered to take the match 3-1.

Ormesby maintains their winning ways despite David McBeath suffering his first defeat of the season to eBaTT’s Patrick Dziuba, brought in as their number one player, Dziuba’s pimple style made it difficult for the England number 5 and gave eBaTT a point on the board. Nahom Asgedom also stretch McBeath to four close ends, before Dziuba levelled the match score overcoming Louis Price 3-1. Enio Mendes again took his two singles and the doubles with Louis Price closing out the fixture with a dominant performance over Akindya.

Drumchapel Glasgow got their first victory of the season, meaning that the relegation battle is closer than ever, as they overcame Fusion 4-3, with Aaron McKibbin snatching the points defeating Shaquille Webb-Dixon in the deciding end, in the deciding match up. Larry Trumpauskas opened the fixture with a comeback over Xinliang Sun who had the opportunity to take the match in the fourth end, before Trumpauskas fought back. Drinkhall’s singles and doubles put the Scottish side ahead, before Rikuto Morota from Japan made his BCL Premier debut, with a win over McKibbin to level the scores. Drinkhall overcame Trumpuaskas three straight, as did Morota over Sun, which meant the score was level 3-3, with McKibbin coming out on top 11-9 in the fifth end to take the victory.

After the players took a break from the action and regrouped overnight, the table tennis resumed with round 7 kickstarting Sundays action. With some of the most highly anticipated matches taking place, including a battle between Ormesby and Brighton, two unbeaten teams, somebody’s impeccable record had to go. The Brighton fans travelled in style, with a huge following descending on the Norman Booth Table Tennis centre to support their team. Fan favourite Ihor Zavadskyi put the reigning champions ahead with a 3-0 win over Ben Piggott, before David McBeath hit back with Ormesby’s very own 3-0 victory over Felix Thomis. Ormesby discovered a new strength in this second weekend of action, as McBeath and Mendes dominated every doubles fixture they were handed, and Brighton was no exception, with the Ormesby team taking the match 3-0. The match of the fixture the ensued, as Enio Mendes ran into a 2-0 lead over Welsh number one Callum Evans. In what felt like a must win match for Brighton, Evans fought back to 2-2, and took a 6-2 lead in the fifth end, before a clever timeout saw the tide turn and Mendes take an 11-8 victory. Zavadskyi’s win over McBeath maintained the pressure, but with Ben Piggott overcoming Callum Evans 3-0, the points were heading to Ormesby, Enio Mendes closed out the fixture with a win over Thomis, giving Ormesby one hand on the trophy as the competition reaches the half way mark.
Watch Ormesby take on Brighton here

The battle of Scotland was also a highly anticipated match, and with the addition of the English 7x National Champion, Paul Drinkhall, it was the Glasgow based side who took the win, by the closest of scorelines, 4-3. Drinkhall opened the match with a 3-1 win over Hulshof who impressed in this fixture, before Johnson hit back for the Saltcoats side, defeating McKibbin. Doubles went in favour of Drumchapel Glasgow, before two marathon matches. Drumchapel Glagow lead 2-1, as Xinliang Sun took on Colin Dalgleish. Sun won the first end 20-18, before Dalgleish overturned a 2-1 deficit to level the match score. Martin Johnson and Paul Drinkhall then produced one of the matches of the weekend, with the Scottish star stretching one of England’s best to a deciding end. Drinkhall just edged past Johnson 11-8 in the fifth to give Drumchapel the advantage. Xinliang Sun then took out Lode Hulshof to many onlookers surprise, to give Drumchapel the all important fourth point and victory.

BATTS got back to winning ways, as it was heartbreak for Ormeau, who received their third consecutive 4-3 defeat. Oriol Monzo once again impressed with two victories, and the doubles alongside Earley. However, Josh Bennett surviving a 2-0 fightback from Earley and three dominant wins for the BATTS side, ensured the host club started Sunday with a victory to keep the pressure on the division front runners.

A battle of London took place in round 7 as Fusion took on eBaTT. eBaTT would have been disappointed to lose their impressive new number one signing Patrick Dziuba for Sunday’s play, as they still stretched Fusion all the way, but ultimately fell short, as Fusion took the win 5-2. Asgedom kicked off the fixture with a win over Morota 3-1, Larry Trumpauskas put the Fusion side on the board with a closer than close victory, defeating Ismaila Akindya 14-12 in the fifth and final end. Trumpauskas also overcame Nahom Asgedom 3-2, before three 3-0 victories for Fusion from Lorestas Trumpauskas and Rikuto Morota confirmed the victory for Fusion.

Round 8 saw the teams start to take on their opponents for the second time this season in the return fixtures. Brighton TTC made it a double over this seasons newcomers eBaTT, as they raced to a 5-2 victory. Nahom Asgedom, pictured below, produced a double to remember which gave eBaTT their two points, as he overcame both Felix Thomis and the unbeaten Ihor Zavadksyi both 3-2, with the latter coming 14-12 in the fifth. No other match went the distance, however Brighton’s doubles victory and Zavadskyi’s win over Akindya came in straight games.

Fusion finished a strong second day, with another victory over North Ayrshire, and once again by the narrowest of margins, 4-3. Larry Trumpauskas, displayed below, put in a dominant performance, defeating both Lode Hulshof and Martin Johnson 3-0. Rikuto Morota put Fusion 2-0 ahead as he defeated the North Ayrshire number 1, Martin Johnson. North Ayrshire hit back in the doubles and Colin Dalgleish brought the scores level as he raced to a 3-0 victory over veteran number one Lorestas Trumpauskas. Both Trumpauskas’ then earnt 3-0 victories to give the Fusion side the win, before Dalgleish beat Morota in the very last fixture.

What a weekend it was for Ormesby who have pulled ahead at the tip of the table, and they ended the weekend with a dominant display to overcome Ormeau 7-0 in round 8. Ben Piggott gave Monzo his first defeat of the weekend, 11-7 in the fifth and deciding end, the only other fifth set fixture also went the way of Piggott as he beat Sophie Earley also 3-2. Ben Piggott was substitute for McBeath, as he partnered Enio Mendes and successfully maintained an impeccable weekend two doubles record for Ormesby.

The live streamed fixture in round 8 was between the hosts, BATTS, as they took on Drumchapel Glasgow. BATTS’ weekend went from disappointing to worse, after losing their opening two matches and their undefeated record, injury to Haotian Chen, meant that Championship regular, Ryan Choong had to step in for the home side. Choong put in an impressive performance winning two from two on his Premier BCL debut, to help BATTS take the win 5-2. Drinkhall beat Bennett 3-0, before Kingham levelled the score with a 3-1 win over McKibbin. The BATTS doubles pair of Bennett and Kingham gave Drinkhall and McKibbin their first defeat of the weekend, before Choong got his first victory 12-10 in the fifth over Sun. After Drinkhall defeated Kingham 3-0, Josh Bennett secured the win for BATTS overcoming Sun 3-1. Choong closed out the fixture with his second win over Aaron McKibbin 3-1.