The first round of the Braintree Table Tennis League handicap cup produced its usual share of ups and downs and close finishes

Three matches were decided at 5-4 and two at 6-3, suggesting the handicap formula did its job pretty well.

The three 5-4s featured a dramatic comeback, a match decided by the toss of a coin and a match with three sets decided by two points in the third game.

Black Notley G looked dead and buried against Netts E with the scoreline 4-1 against them. But Jacqueline Smith, Peter Davenport and Ken Wilding were not done and grabbed the last four to inch through to the next round.

Smith’s win over Cley Dearsley (playing off +8) at 24-22 in the third game started the comeback followed by Wilding’s equally nail-biting 19-21, 24-22, 21-18 win over Richard Fewings (off +10).

Notley I’s match with Rayne H reached 4-4 before the venue had to close. The Rayne team generously offered to toss a coin rather than claiming the final set and were rewarded when the coin fell the right way for them. Conrad Gomes’s three wins were vital for Rayne.

Rayne F’s match against Rayne D also went to 4-4 before Scott Whiteside (+6) clinched it with a 21-18, 20-22, 21-19 win over Paul Wellington.

The two 6-3 matches both featured a Finchingfield team against a Sudbury team and in both cases it was the Finchingfieldians who won.

Finchingfield A and Sudbury Nomads stood at 3-3 before the home team took the last three singles. John Barrett, Peter Clark and Dave Punt all won twice.

Chad Rose was unbeaten as the village’s B team overcame Sudbury Wanderers in another match that had been level after six sets.

Netts F had an easier time, coming past Rayne E 7-2, with James Howard unbeaten, while Rayne G and Sudbury Strollers won 8-1 against Notley E and Yeldham B respectively.

Alastair Brown and Tim Townsend were unbeaten for Rayne G and Terry Hunneybel and Tim Matthews for Strollers.