The top teams in divisions one and two of the Braintree Table Tennis League may be sailing off into the sunset – Rayne C’s lead in division two is on a par with Netts A’s in the top division – but division three has the makings of a tight run to the finishing line.

At the season’s halfway point, Black Notley E were leading Finchingfield B by 14 points. The latter had two matches in hand but neither will be straightforward.

One is against Rayne F, who were sandwiched in between the top two, four points behind the leaders but from one more match. The other is against fourth-placed Netts F, whose team of fast-improving juniors will be no pushover.

Finchingfield looked well set at the start of the season. They beat Notley E 7-3 in their fourth match and after seven matches had a lead of seven points.

But then came a stumble against Notley H, who held them to a draw, while Notley E finished the half strongly with wins of 9-1, 9-1 and 8-2.

Finchingfield have been led by 17-year-old Lucien Nolan-Bradford, unbeaten in his six matches, while Dave Parker (19 wins out of 20) and Peter Davenport (16 out of 18) have kept Notley E in the hunt.

No such drama for Rayne C who had a lead of 18 points in division two. With a team of Matthew Brown, Steve Buer, Dave Marsh and Paul Wellington that was no surprise.

Rayne E are adrift at the bottom, but the other eight teams in the division ended the year amazingly within five points of each other.

Rayne D and Notley C led the pursuers, both on 46 points, the latter climbing impressively from ninth place last season.

But Sudbury Strollers, five points behind, have a match in hand while Finchingfield A have gradually moved into contention after losing their first five matches.

Individual averages up to the end of the year (qualification one-third of team’s matches):

Division 2

1 David Fiddeman 9 wins in 9 sets, average 100 per cent; 2 Matthew Brown 22-24, 91.7; 3 Charles Calisin 19-21, 87.5; 4 Dean Andrews 12-14, 85.7; 5= Roy Hooper 20-24, Richard Whiteside 10-12, 83.3; 7= John Colvin 15-20, Matt Stephenson 9-12, 75; 9 Jamie Brooks 17-24, 70.8; 10= JJ Calisin, Lawrence Grantham 10-15, 66.7

Division 3

1 Lucien Nolan-Bradford 18-18, 100; 2 Dave Parker 19-20, 95; 3 Trevor Laird 14-15, 93.3; 4 Ben Southgate 22-24, 91.7; 5 Peter Davenport 16-18, 88.9; 6= Karl Bowden, Dave Whiting 18-21, 85.7; 8 Conrad Gomes 12-15, 80; 9 Tom Verrier 7-9, 77.8; 10 Wayne Wilson 20-26, 76.9