The Central London League is one-third of the way through the season and already it’s starting to look like a two-horse race between Morpeth 1 and St Katherine’s Trust 1.

I dare say other teams may have other ideas but who would have expected to see Fusion 1 at the bottom of the division? Most teams are bunched together with few points separating them. To avoid relegation, the lower teams need to make a move before it’s too late. It could be a long climb to safety.

Jerry Fung of Table Tennis Fight Club leads the averages with 12/12 and four PotM awards. He is closely followed by St Katherine’s ever dependable Derek Abrefa. TATTC’s Chris Lewis has only lost two, both in the fifth game. His only other five-setter he won 11-1 in the fifth against Martynas Matuzevicius of Fusion 1.

Percy Collino and Jeffrey Tang are holding Fusion II together and their recent addition of Richard Jermyn can only help their cause. Jack Sandler and Moberly appear to be awaiting ‘lift-off’ having won only two matches but if they could get their best three together on one night they have potential to do better.

Division 2 is currently between Morpeth 5 & 6 but there are a few teams who could upset the applecart. However in 3rd & 4th spots are Walworth Gainsford and Exiles I and they meet each other tonight for their ‘big match’.

Top of the averages in Division 2 is Highbury’s Peter Stahlman who looks unstoppable with 18/18. His closest contest was against Exiles’ Chris Penrose who he beat 6-11, 13-11, 8-11, 11-3, 11-2. Chris, along with Laikram Persaud (St Katherine’s III) has only lost one.

Irving I & II are doing well in a closely-fought Division 3. It’s St Katherine’s Arturas Rybakas who is leading the averages with 15/15 and five PotM awards. Exiles II are hoping to test him tonight!

Overall the Central London League is looking very healthy with a total of seven divisions – 75 teams.