They say you can’t win a league title in the opening rounds of a campaign—but you certainly can lose one. For Ormesby and BATTS, it is a statement that offers a stark reminder of the importance attached to this Senior British Clubs League Premier Division match.

Two powerhouses of the competition will lock horns this weekend looking for a precious victory that could have huge ramifications on the outcome of the season once it reaches its conclusion in the summer. This might only be a second-round bout but in a season containing just ten weekends, every match matters.

There can be no denying that this is a contest between two of the competition’s leading title contenders. Both fell agonisingly short last year, ending the campaign one win adrift of eventual winners Brighton.

But it goes to show just how small the margins are when it comes to winning this competition or not. It’s why this weekend’s game is a must-win, a must-watch. To put some context on the quality of these two teams, three of the six players in action here are in the top ten of the national rankings. This is British Clubs Leagues at its very, very best.

The beauty of this particular contest is the history attached to it. Ormesby welcome David McBeath into the fold after his latest spell in America playing for Texas Smash in Major League Table Tennis. It comes at a perfect time for his club and the audience as it delivers another installment in the epic battle between himself and the great Chris Doran. These two have served up some classics over time, spanning well over a decade. They have been team-mates and adversaries, great friends and rivals. Many of us, at all levels of the sport, can probably relate to that. The difference here is that it’s a battle between two of England’s top-six-ranked players. It promises to be a belter.

But there’s more going on here than McBeath v Doran. There is a sense of intrigue attached to BATTS as they prepare to unleash a debutant. Haotian Chen has recently arrived to coach at the club and he will be rolled out on the big stage in front of an expectant home crowd. There’s a sense of unknown relating to Chen’s quality but after a sparring session earlier this week, Ralph Pattison stated he was a “very good” player. We will wait and see.

Speaking of Pattison, he will be in action again as he looks to build on a remarkable start to the season. England’s Under 17 national champion is on fire. His capture of the Under 21 National Cup, which featured a win over England’s European Championships representative Connor Green, was an outstanding accomplishment. It was backed up by two pivotal wins for BATTS in their come-from-behind triumph against Fusion as he took out Tianyi Yu and Shaquille Webb Dixon, two further impressive wins. He now sits in the top ten of the senior national rankings.

In the Ormesby corner, there is Portuguese Jose Enio Mendes, also unbeaten after the opening round, and last season’s Junior National Championships finalist, Ben Piggott, who started his campaign well against Drumchapel Glasgow earlier this month. Mendes beat Pattison six months ago so if they clash, it will be fascinating to see how the youngster fares.

In isolation, the matches are enthralling. Collectively, it is mouth-watering.

The best bit? You can watch it for free on YouTube. The match will be streamed as part of the competition’s extended efforts to thrust the clubs and players into the spotlight that matches like this deserve. Play is due to commence at 2 PM.