The Veterans’ British League tables are shaping up for some exciting conclusions after the first weekend of matches played at Derby Arena and Draycott & Long Eaton TTC.

Defending champions Team Bribar lead the way in the men’s Premier Division, and look to be in control of retaining their title, while Ellenborough hold sway in the women’s Premier, ahead of defending champions Market Rasen.

Women’s divisions

Ellenborough took a two-point lead at the top of the Women’s Premier Division, ahead of defending champions Market Rasen, as both teams remained unbeaten.

The 3-3 draw between the two was the only dropped point all weekend for Ellenborough, though they had to come from 3-2 down to secure a point, thanks to Hurey Ahmetoglu defeating Sarah Horsnell 3-1 (11-3, 2-11, 11-8, 11-5).

Market Rasen also drew against both Bribar Failand and Bribar Knighton Park. Lesley Keast secured the point in the final match of both ties, in the former thanks to a 3-0 (12-10, 11-9, 11-8) victory over Natalie Riley, and in the latter with a 3-1 (15-17, 11-8, 11-9, 11-6) triumph against Julie Lawrence.

The leaders boast the top two in the averages – Sara Williams was their spearhead with a 100% record from her 10 matches, while Ahmetoglu lost only once in 10.

Division 1 sees Foresters lead the way and unbeaten, with four wins and a draw. The match which finished 3-3 was their final one, against DOJO Card Terminals. Foresters trailed 2-1 and then led 3-2, before Denise McEvoy saved a point for DOJO with a 3-1 (11-9, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8) victory over Julie Byrne.

IPS Tigers are second in the table, a point behind Foresters, having won four matches and lost only to the leaders. Card Terminals are a further point back in third.

Top of the tree in the averages is Foresters’ Wanda Litynska-Sydorenko, who won all her 10 matches.

In Division 2, an eight-team league, Colleens lead the way and have a 100% record from their five matches, including a 4-2 victory over closest rivals Foresters II in the fifth and final match. The points were secured by Geraldine Greene, who beat Sarah Creasey in the last match.

Colleens were led by Angie Bristow’s 100% record across 10 matches, a feat which was equalled by Anne Marie Nugent of Sutton at Hone.

There are seven teams in Division 3, and Cleeve Park top the standings with a maximum 10 points. They hold a four-point advantage over both Sherwood Ladies (W2, D2) and Drumchapel Glasgow (W3, D1), who have both played a match fewer. Cleeve and Sherwood have yet to meet; the leaders beat Drumchapel 4-2 in the first round.

In the averages, Drumchapel’s Joy Daniels won all eight, while Munhsetseg King won 9/10 for Cleeve Park.

Men’s divisions

Team Bribar laid down a real marker as they started the defence of their men’s Premier Division title, winning all five matches and dropping only three individual matches all weekend.

There were three 6-0 victories and a 5-1 over Draycott, but it was Topspin Fusion who pushed the leaders closest as they went down 4-2.

Fusion never led, though Neil Pickard did put them level at 1-1 by defeating Jason Ramage in four. But Bribar won the next three, making Pickard’s second victory academic, although it was an eye-catching 3-2 (5-11, 13-11, 3-11, 11-4, 15-13) victory over Niall Cameron.

Chris Rogers was peerless for Bribar, winning all 10 matches, while Kev Dolder won all six of his, making them the only players with 100% records. Ramage won 8/10.

Everyone else in the division took points off each other, meaning that with a four-point lead over second-placed Tees Sport Vetts, the title is surely already Team Bribar’s to lose when the teams reconvene for weekend two.

By contrast, Division 1 (Group 1) is still wide open, with The Rams leading the way on sets different from Westfield Nomads – both have 8pts – and Lilleshall just a point behind.

The Rams are unbeaten, having won three and drawn two, including a 3-3 scoreline against Lilleshall in which the Rams led 2-0 and 3-2 before Stephen Scowcroft levelled it for Lilleshall by beating Jimmy Walsh in four.

Rams’ other draw was against London Moberly as Jogenes Senorin beat Lee Neil in the final match to again deny Rams victory.

Nomads lost 4-2 to Rams in the opening round, but won their other four matches, including 4-2 against Lilleshall.

No 100% records in this division, and of those who placed the full 10 matches, Sherwin Remata leads the way on 8/10. Paul Cicchelli (Lilleshall) and Roumen Stefanov (Nomads) both won 7/8 for an 87.5% record.

Division 1 (Group 2) is led by Cippenham, on sets difference from Team Ecosse after both teams won four and lost one.

It was Team Ecosse who won the meeting between the top two, in round 3, taking a 4-0 lead before Cippenham hit back to take the final two to make the scoreline more respectable.

However, Ecosse lost in the next round to Wolves VETTS, who hit back from 2-0 down to force a 4-2 victory with Lee Horton taking a double.

That match also saw Darren Griffin inflict the only defeat of the weekend on Stewart Crawford of Ecosse, who nevertheless still tops the averages on 90%.

In Division 2 (Group 1), the only unbeaten team are Stocksbridge, who won three and drew two to stand a point clear of St Georges – whom they beat 5-1 in the second round of fixtures.

The leaders drew with BATTS and Ashford – the latter also held St Georges 3-3.

The averages are topped by BATTS’ Duncan Taylor, who won nine of his 10 matches.

Joola Plymouth lead the way in Division 2 (Group 2) and are unbeaten, only dropping a point in a 3-3 draw against Nailsworth Phoenix in round four, Nailsworth coming from 3-1 down to claim the point.

Their nine-point haul sees Plymouth three points clear at the top, ahead of Foresters D, who only lost once, but also drew on two occasions.

Plymouth’s Paul Whiting was the spearhead, winning all 10 of his matches to top the averages, while his team-mate Paul Giles won 9/10.

In Division 3 (1), three teams lost only once each and it is Newton Abbot who lead the standings having won their other four matches. Zygabtye are a point behind having won three and drawn one, while Seasiders are another point back having won two and drawn two.

Newton Abbot’s defeat, however, was not to one of their nearest rivals but to Foresters E, who won 4-2 in the second round of matches.

Of the players who played all 10, Mark Ramsbottom (Seasiders), Michael Hugh (Newton Abbot) and Richard Lightowler (Zygabyte) all claimed eight victories.

Group 2 of the same division sees Horsham Spinners three points clear having enjoyed a 100% record – and only dropping three individual matches all weekend.

Two of those were against Topspin Fusion II, who ended in fourth place. Horsham’s closest rivals in the table are actually Ormesby – they beat them 6-0 in the opening round.

Rory Scott was the leader for Horsham with a full house of 10 victories to top the averages. Daniel Petit of Bristol Associates also has a 100% record, from eight matches.

The situation is very similar in Division 4 (Group 1), where BATTS II won all five, though they were not quite as emphatic, having lost seven individual matches. They also hold a three-point lead at the top, ahead of De Vere NETTS – it was 4-2 to BATTS when the sides met in round one.

There are no unbeaten teams in Group 2, where Border Reivers, Blackpool and Norwich City all stand on 8pts and are in that order on sets difference.

In the matches between the top three, Reivers beat Norwich 6-0, Blackpool beat Reivers 4-2 and Norwich defeated Blackpool 4-2.

The averages are topped by Norwich’s Richard Elliott, with 8/10.

There is a perfect record in Division 5 (Group 1), where TableTennisDaily hold a three-point lead over Draycott V. Actually, not quite perfect – TTD did drop a solitary individual match, and it was the very first match of the weekend when Whiff Whaff’s Paul Barnett impressively defeated Mark Ward 3-2 (10-12, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 13-11).

TTD trio Paul Laverty, Peter Ives and Scott Cooper all hold 100% individual records from eight matches apiece.

In Group 2, Cutnall Green hold a one-point lead over Ajax Wolvey. Cutnall won four matches and drew against Swerve, while Ajax’s won their four other matches, losing only to the leaders.

Cutnall won that match 4-2, building up a 3-0 lead and then winning the final match after Ajax reduced the arrears to 3-2.

There are two 90% records in the averages – Abubaker Salehbhai of Bristol Associates II and Steve Brunskill of Swerve.