Louis Price and Mollie Patterson justified their top seedings as they won the respective gold medals at the Junior National Cup – the first national competition for 15 months.

Both were defeated just once over a tough weekend of matches against the other top Junior players in the country, hosted by Halton Table Tennis Club in Widnes.

Selected matches were live-streamed over the weekend – catch up on our Facebook page.

Price had clear daylight at the top of the boys’ event, his nine wins from 10 matches seeing him finish two clear of a clutch of four players who had seven wins.

It was eighth seed Ben Piggott who came out on top in that little battle to take the silver medal, with second seed Joe Cope claiming bronze. The two to miss out were wildcard and 12th seed Connor Green, who ended fourth, and fourth seed Amirul Hussain, who was fifth.

It was Hussain who inflicted the only defeat on Price, defeating him 3-1 (7-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9) in round 9.

Piggott must have thought he had little chance of a medal when he lost his first three matches of the tournament. He sat out round 4 – the boys played one match less than originally scheduled due to the late withdrawal of Jie Fu Tham – but then blitzed his way to seven successive victories across two days. His 3-2 (11-6, 6-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11-7) win over Green and a 3-0 (9, 7, 10) scoreline against Cope proved crucial in the shake-up for medals.

David Gofton can count himself unfortunate to have picked up a shoulder injury early on day two, which meant he had to withdraw when his day one performance had left him handily placed.

Final standings: 1 Louis Price, 2 Ben Piggott, 3 Joe Cope, 4 Connor Green, 5 Amirul Hussain, 6 Josh Weatherby, 7 Olly Cornish, 8 Rhys Davies, 9 Maxim Stevens, 10 Robert Pelc, 11 David Gofton.

Patterson’s path to the girls’ title was harder, as she finished only one win ahead of Anaya Patel and Mari Baldwin to claim her second gold at the event – she also won it in 2018.

She had looked in control as she swept through the first eight rounds, but defeat to fourth seed Patel in round 9 by a close 3-0 (12, 8, 10) scoreline, threatened to shake up the standings.

In the event, Patel lost in the next round of matches, 3-1 (11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-2) to second seed Jasmin Wong, a result which reopened the door for Patterson, who won her final two matches and rubber-stamped gold with her own 3-1 (7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-8) victory over Wong in the last round.

A strong finish from third seed Baldwin, who won all her five matches on Sunday, ensured she took the bronze medal – the key victory was in round 9 when she came from 2-0 down to defeat Wong 3-2 (9-11, 11-13, 11-8, 11-8, 12-10).

Wong ended up in sixth, behind fifth seed Millie Rogove in fourth place and ninth seed Scarlett Anders in fifth – all three having won seven matches.

Final standings: 1 Mollie Patterson, 2 Anaya Patel, 3 Mari Baldwin, 4 Millie Rogove, 5 Scarlett Anders, 6 Jasmin Wong, 7 Amy Marriott, 8 Gemma Kerr, 9 Erin Green, 10 Samadhi Udamulla, 11 Lois Perryman, 12 Anna Green

Day one

The competitive nature of the event had been illustrated on day one, when all 23 athletes picked up at least one victory and there were a number of results which went against ranking. Top seeds Price and Patterson remained unbeaten but were the only ones to do so.

In the boys’ event, Gofton made the early headlines. Called into the event when No 7 seed Thomas Rayner had to withdraw in the week leading up to the tournament, Gofton won his first three matches and came from 2-1 down in two of them – first beating Weatherby 13-11 in the fifth and then Cope 11-9 in a decider. His run was ended in round 4 by Price.

Among the other eye-catching results on day one, ninth seed Pelc beat third seed Davies in four games in round 2, and Davies lost his next match 12-10 in a decider against No 6 Olly Cornish.

No 12 Green enjoyed a good day, with wins over Cornish, Stevens, Hussain and Pelc. Price conceded only one game across his first four matches but was then pushed by Davies before prevailing 3-2 (11-9, 11-6, 9-11, 8-11, 11-4).

Davies also went the distance against Weatherby and Hussain, winning the first 11-9 in the decider but going down by the same scoreline against the latter. There were also five-set wins for Cope over Cornish and Wetherby.

So, Price ended the day on five wins, with Cope and Green one win behind.

In the girls’ competition, Patterson’s closest matches were in round 2 against Anders and round 5 against Kerr, winning both in a decider. No 11 Anders had opened the event by defeating second seed Wong 3-2, and she showed great determination against Patterson to close from 2-0 down, winning the third 14-12.

Also making good starts were No 8 Marriott, who beat No 5 Rogove 12-10 in the fifth, and fourth seed Patel, who won five of her six matches to lie second at the end of the day.

Patel was taken to five in the first round by Udamulla, and her only setback of the day was against Rogove in round 3.

There were five-set victories for Anders against Udamulla, Udamulla against both Perryman – the fourth game in that one went to 18-16 – and Anna Green; Rogove against both Wong and Perryman; and Wong against Anna Green.

All of which left Patterson and Patel in the top two places, with Baldwin, Anders and Wong in the chasing pack.

Full results

Boys
Round 1
Louis Price bt Connor Green 3-1 (8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 14-12)
Rhys Davies bt Maxim Stevens 3-1 (12-10, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7)
Amirul Hussain bt Robert Pelc 3-0 (11-8, 11-6, 11-4)
Josh Weatherby bt Ben Piggott 3-0 (13-11, 11-8, 11-8)
David Gofton bt Olly Cornish 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, 11-3)

Round 2
Cope bt Stevens 3-0 (11-6, 11-6, 11-6)
Pelc bt Davies 3-1 (3-11, 12-10, 11-9, 12-10)
Hussain bt Piggott 3-1 (14-12, 11-13, 12-10, 11-8)
Gofton bt Weatherby 3-2 (11-4, 8-11, 7-11, 11-8, 13-11)
Green bt Cornish 3-0 (11-8, 11-8, 15-13)

Round 3
Gofton bt Cope 3-2 (11-5, 7-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9)
Cornish bt Davies 3-2 (11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 12-10)
Weatherby bt Hussain 3-1 (5-11, 11-7, 13-11, 11-5)
Price bt Piggott 3-0 (11-9, 11-6, 11-5)
Green bt Stevens 3-1 (11-4, 16-18, 11-8, 11-2)

Round 4
Price bt Gofton 3-0 (11-9, 11-5, 13-11)
Cope bt Cornish 3-2 (11-5, 7-11, 11-3, 7-11, 11-6)
Davies bt Weatherby 3-2 (9-11, 3-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9)
Stevens bt Pelc 3-1 (6-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9)
Green bt Hussain 3-1 (11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8)

Round 5
Price bt Cornish 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, 11-9)
Cope bt Weatherby 3-2 (12-10, 9-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-9)
Hussain bt Davies 3-2 (8-11, 11-4, 11-4, 7-11, 11-9)
Piggott bt Stevens 3-0 (11-9, 11-9, 11-6)
Green bt Pelc 3-0 (11-7, 11-8, 11-8)

Round 6
Piggott bt Gofton 3-0 (11-6, 11-8, 12-10)
Price bt Davies 3-2 (11-9, 11-6, 9-11, 8-11, 11-4)
Cope bt Green 3-0 (11-5, 11-3, 11-7)
Weatherby bt Stevens 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, 11-8)
Cornish bt Pelc 3-0 (11-5, 11-8, 11-8)

Round 7
Price bt Stevens 3-1 (11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 12-10)
Cope bt Pelc 3-0 (11-3,11-6, 11-4)
Piggott bt Davies 3-1 (11-9, 11-1, 6-11, 12-10)
Hussain bt Gofton 3-0 (11-6, 11-3, 11-0)
Weatherby bt Cornish 3-0 (11-2, 11-9, 11-4)
*Gofton withdrew with injury

Round 8
Price bt Pelc 3-0 (11-7, 12-10, 12-10)
Piggott bt Cope 3-0 (11-9, 11-7, 12-10)
Davies bt Gofton w/o
Hussain bt Cornish 3-1 (11-6, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8)
Green bt Weatherby 3-2 (11-8, 8-11, 15-13, 8-11, 11-8)

Round 9
Piggott bt Green 3-2 (11-6, 6-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11-7)
Hussain bt Price 3-1 (7-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9)
Cope bt Davies 3-0 (11-6, 11-5, 11-8)
Pelc bt Gofton w/o
Cornish bt Stevens 3-2 (8-11, 3-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-3)

Round 10
Green bt Davies 3-2 (11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3)
Cope bt Hussain 3-2 (9-11, 8-11, 14-12, 11-7, 11-4)
Stevens bt Gofton w/o
Piggott bt Pelc 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-9)
Price bt Weatherby 3-1 (11-2, 8-11, 11-5, 11-8)

Round 11
Price bt Cope 3-0 (11-9, 11-9, 12-10)
Green bt Gofton w/o
Weatherby bt Pelc 3-0 (13-11, 11-7, 12-10)
Hussain bt Stevens 3-1 (11-6, 11-8, 5-11, 11-8)
Piggott bt Cornish 3-0 (14-12, 11-8, 11-7)

Girls
Round 1
Mollie Patterson bt Anna Green 3-1 (11-6, 11-3, 10-12, 11-2)
Scarlett Anders bt Jasmin Wong 3-2 (5-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6, 11-5)
Mari Baldwin bt Lois Perryman 3-0 (11-4, 11-6, 11-8)
Anaya Patel bt Samadhi Udamulla 3-2 (11-4, 9-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5)
Amy Marriott bt Millie Rogove 3-2 (4-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7, 12-10)
Gemma Kerr bt Erin Green 3-1 (11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 14-12)

Round 2
Patterson bt Anders 3-2 (11-6, 11-6, 12-14, 9-11, 11-7)
Wong bt Perryman 3-0 (11-9, 11-4, 11-7)
Baldwin bt Udamulla 3-1 (11-3, 6-11, 11-7, 11-6)
Patel bt Marriott 3-1 (11-4, 6-11, 12-10, 11-9)
Erin Green bt Rogove 3-1 (12-10, 7-11, 11-6, 11-6)
Anna Green bt Kerr 3-1 (11-4, 12-10, 7-11, 12-10)

Round 3
Wong bt Erin Green 3-1 (11-6, 8-11, 11-8, 11-5)
Baldwin bt Kerr 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 11-3)
Rogove bt Patel 3-1 (4-11, 11-7, 14-12, 11-6)
Patterson bt Marriott 3-0 (11-8, 11-8, 11-6)
Anders bt Udamulla 3-2 (11-6, 6-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11-7)
Perryman bt Anna Green 3-1 (5-11, 13-11, 11-8, 12-10)

Round 4
Patterson bt Erin Green 3-1 (8-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-2)
Wong bt Kerr 3-0 (14-12, 11-7, 13-11)
Baldwin bt Rogove 3-1 (9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-6)
Anders bt Marriott 3-1 (5-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-9)
Udamulla bt Perryman 3-2 (11-7, 10-12, 9-11, 18-16, 11-9)
Patel bt Anna Green 3-1 (11-4, 12-14, 11-4, 11-6)

Round 5
Patterson bt Kerr 3-2 (11-6, 7-11, 7-11, 11-4, 11-8)
Rogove bt Wong 3-2 (5-11, 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 12-10)
Patel bt Baldwin 3-1 (5-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-3)
Anders bt Erin Green 3-1 (8-11, 15-13, 11-8, 11-7)
Marriott bt Perryman 3-0 (11-9, 11-8, 11-7)
Udamulla bt Anna Green 3-2 (6-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-8)

Round 6
Marriott bt Erin Green 3-1 (11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8)
Patterson bt Baldwin 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 11-9)
Wong bt Anna Green 3-2 (7-11, 13-11, 8-11, 11-4, 11-4)
Patel bt Anders 3-0 (11-8, 14-12, 11-2)
Rogove bt Perryman 3-2 (9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7)
Kerr bt Udamulla 3-0 (11-5, 11-8, 11-5)

Round 7
Patterson bt Perryman 3-0 (11-3, 11-2, 11-9)
Wong bt Udamulla 3-0 (11-6, 11-4, 11-4)
Baldwin bt Marriott 3-0 (11-6, 11-6, 11-8)
Patel bt Erin Green 3-1 (11-7, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9)
Rogove bt Kerr 3-1 (11-7, 11-3, 5-11, 11-5)
Anders bt Anna Green 3-1 (11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8)

Round 8
Patterson bt Udamulla 3-0 (11-9, 11-9, 11-8)
Wong bt Marriott 3-1 (13-15, 11-2, 13-11, 11-5)
Baldwin bt Erin Green 3-1 (11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-5)
Patel bt Kerr 3-1 (10-12, 12-10, 13-11, 11-7)
Rogove bt Anna Green 3-2 (12-10, 9-11, 4-11, 11-8, 11-8)
Anders bt Perryman 3-1 (9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 12-10)

Round 9
Marriott bt Anna Green 3-1 (7-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-8)
Patel bt Patterson 3-0 (14-12, 11-8, 12-10)
Baldwin bt Wong 3-2 (9-11, 11-13, 11-8, 11-8, 12-10)
Erin Green bt Udamulla 3-2 (11-5, 13-11, 7-11, 10-12, 11-9)
Rogove bt Anders 3-0 (12-10, 11-7, 11-2)
Kerr bt Perryman 3-1 (11-6, 11-6, 10-12, 11-5)

Round 10
Baldwin bt Anna Green 3-1 (11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6)
Wong bt Patel 3-1 (11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-2)
Perryman bt Erin Green 3-1 (7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 12-10)
Anders bt Kerr 3-0 (11-5, 11-5, 11-7)
Udamulla bt Marriott 3-1 (11-8, 17-15, 5-11, 15-13)
Patterson bt Rogove 3-0 (11-9, 11-7, 11-7)

Round 11
Patterson bt Wong 3-1 (7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-8)
Erin Green bt Anna Green 3-0 (11-4, 11-2, 11-6)
Rogove bt Udamulla 3-2 (11-9, 11-3, 8-11, 10-12, 11-5)
Baldwin bt Anders 3-0 (11-4, 11-3, 11-1)
Patel bt Perryman 3-0 (11-7, 12-10, 11-9)
Marriott bt Kerr 3-2 (11-2, 7-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-9)