Netts A, champions for the past two years, wasted no time in stamping their authority on Braintree Table Tennis League’s new season with a 10-0 win in their first match.

Paul Davison, James Hicks and Andy Holmes brushed aside the challenge from former champions Liberal A. Scott Dowsett took a game off Davison and stretched Hicks to 11-6 in the fifth but the closest they came to a point was in the doubles where Dowsett and Zach Harrington bowed out only at 11-9 in the fifth against Hicks and Holmes.

Perennial runners-up Rayne A were held up by Black Notley B’s new signing Kaung Htet Paing, who took his three singles in his side’s 7-3 defeat. A victory over men’s singles runner-up Paul Lucas suggests he will be a force to be reckoned with.

Alistair Hill and Ashley Skeggs were unbeaten as Liberal B beat Rayne B 7-3, while the division’s two newcomers had differing fortunes.

Division two champions Sudbury Nomads started with a 7-3 win over Notley A, for whom Dan Anderson was unbeaten, but Liberal C foundered by 9-1 against Rayne C, where just the doubles slipped away.

Oliver Hicks, in division three last season, proved he will not be out of place in the top tier by joining Victor Chan and Steve Pennell in remaining unbeaten.

Notley D and Sudbury Wanderers made the best starts in division two with 9-1 wins over Netts C and Notley F respectively.

Jack Cansdale and Ian Shrubsole were unbeaten for Wanderers and Sean Clift and Richard Upson for Notley D.

Netts B, with Szczepan Ziobro unbeaten, overcame Rayne E 7-3 while Rayne F beat Notley C by the same score.

Stewart Ireland had an excellent evening – unbeaten in singles and doubles – in Notley E’s 6-4 win over Rayne D.

Newcomers Great Yeldham got off to an outstanding start in division three, registering a 9-1 win over Rayne H in their first match.

Former Nomads player Lorraine Burgess started with an unbeaten evening as did Kevin Mills, whose win over Tim Schafer suggests that he too will not lose many this season.

No such success for the other new club Finchingfield, although there were a number of close games in their 10-0 defeat by Netts D.

Rayne G, who included former Stebbing player Glenn Maddern in their ranks, also opened with a 10-0 win, in their case against Netts’ E team.

Notley G were the other winners, 7-3 against their own I team, with Graham Chinnery unbeaten.