One of the most heartwarming stories in this season’s Braintree Table Tennis League has been the rise and rise of Black Notley’s D team.

Bottom of the second division table last season, they have won four of their first five matches this time around. Having already beaten their supposed superiors, the club’s B team, they were at it again in week five when they overcame the C team 8-2.

There has been no change of personnel since last season, just an improvement in individual performances. Matt Stephenson’s three wins in that match mean he has won nine out of 12, an average of 75 per cent compared with 63 per cent last season.

The improvement in Mel Cooch’s form has been even more marked. He didn’t play against the C team but before that had won 11 out of 12, an average of 91.7, compared with 35.9 last year.

Peter Game, who only won four sets out of 45 last season, won twice and has already chalked up six wins in his four team matches. Graham Chinnery, who also won twice, has remained fairly steady at 55.6 per cent.

Above them, Sudbury Strollers chalked up another impressive win, 8-2 over Notley B, with Dave Fiddeman unbeaten, but Finchingfield A lost a bit of ground, held to a 6-4 win over a two-person Rayne D.

Elsewhere in the division, Netts D had an 8-2 win over Yeldham A, with JJ Calisin unbeaten, while Rayne E were 9-1 winners over Notley E.

In division one, there were 9-1 wins for both Rayne A and Netts A. Rayne C got off to a good start against their A team when Keith Martin beat Adam Buxton but they could get no further, while Netts A dropped only the doubles against Sudbury Wanderers.

The remaining two matches were both drawn, Rayne B halting Notley A’s two-match winning run and Liberal B sharing the points with their Netts counterparts.

Unlike Joe Addley, who won his three singles for Notley A, no one was unbeaten in the Liberal B-Netts B match. Dave Razzell and Robin Armstrong for Liberal and Adam Clift and Chris Parr for Netts won twice.

Division three leaders Finchingfield A dropped just one set to Yeldham B – Steve Willis’ win over Peter Dacey – while second-placed Notley F gave nothing away against their own G team.

Rayne G are third but had to fight hard for their 6-4 win over Netts E, with Dave Whiting unbeaten, while Netts’ F team preserved the club’s honour with a win by the same score over Rayne H. Clive Forster (3) and Dominic Powell (2) were on target for Netts F.

Peter Foster was unbeaten for Notley H in their draw with their I team.