Whistlers B maintain the pressure on the leaders

OLIVER LANGLOIS continued his impressive start to the season with three key victories to guide Whistlers B to a tight 6-4 victory over their A side and keep the pressure on league leaders Lions A. Whistlers A made the better start through the experienced Mark Pipet, who overcame Jez Powell in four games.

Alice Loveridge then carried on where Pipet had left off to give the A side a 2-0 lead through her epic five-set match against the older of the Langlois brothers, Adam.

Loveridge took a commanding 2-1 lead before Langlois edged a tight fourth set 15-13, but the former upped her game in the final end to despatch her opponent

11-3.

Oliver Langlois was next up and crucially got the B side on their way with a comfortable straight-sets win over Phil Hunkin.

Loveridge took on Powell and carried on where she had left off against Adam Langlois with some impressive table tennis on her way to a four-set victory.

She then teamed up impressively with Hunkin to overcome the formidable Langlois brothers in the doubles in another four-set victory to leave them within one match of securing a draw at 4-1 up.

Whistlers B had other ideas and started the comeback thanks to Oliver Langlois' second victory of the evening, this time over Pipet in four games.

Adam Langlois continued with a comfortable straight-sets victory over Hunkin to leave the match delicately poised at 4-3 to Whistlers A with a crucial match between Oliver Langlois and Loveridge to follow.

The Island Games gold medallist edged the first end before Langlois fought back to win the second and third games with ease.

Loveridge's will to win was evident as always. She showed her determination in edging a nervy fourth game with some excellent rallies.

The fifth and final one saw some more great rallies and excellent composure from both players, but it was to be Langlois and Whistlers B's night as he wrapped it up to level the match at 4-4.

Powell was up next to take on Phil Hunkin in another crucial match and the former started the stronger of the two, winning the first end in a close deuce game.

Hunkin upped his form to win the following two games relatively comfortably and leave himself within one of victory.

Powell showed great character and determination to fight back and claim the final two games 12-10, 11-9 and give his team the lead for the first time in the evening, having been 4-1 down.

Adam Langlois sealed the victory for the B side with a comfortable straight-sets victory over Pipet.

The 6-4 victory maintains the pressure on league leaders Lions A, who did not play last week.

Lions A remain top by one point, but also have a game in hand over the Whistlers side.

In the other Division One match played, third-placed Specsavers A continued their chase on Whistlers B with a tight 6-4 victory over the bottom-of-the-table side, Lions B.

Reserve Joe Clancy was a good stand-in for Scott Romeril, winning all three of his singles matches, but he was made to work hard by Tim Le Page who pushed him into a fifth and deciding leg.

Mark Fallaize added two through his victories over Paul Hainsworth and Martin Sarre and Neil Hastie's solitary victory over Le Page was enough to claim victory for Specsavers.

For the Lions side, Le Page was on good form in his five-set defeat of Fallaize while Hainsworth and Sarre both dispatched of Hastie in four games.

Lions C remain top of the second division after an impressive

8-2 victory over fifth-placed St Paul's A.

Carl Le Tissier and Liam Robilliard continued their impressive start to the season, each winning their three singles matches and teaming up to win the doubles match against Maurice James and Trevor Bourgaize.

Le Tissier's son Glenn also contributed through his straight-sets victory over reserve Brian Le Cras.

The division remains extremely tight with two sides - Whistlers D and Whistlers G - both only a single point behind the Lions.

Lions F are five points behind, although if they were to win their two games in hand, they would be equal to Whistlers D and Whistlers G.