TABLE TENNISAFTER a 7-3 victory over Ryde Tigers, Shanklin Piranhas kept their title hopes alive in Division 1 of the IW Table Tennis League.
Piyachai Chainiyom and Don Hobbs kept clean sheets, but Hobbs was taken to five by Barry Howlett and again it took five sets to win the doubles. A reversed score would have meant the loss of valuable points.
CPC Appley remain on top, also winning their match 7-3, with Scott Lawson and Lee Orton winning three each, while CPC Gladiators defeated Newport Vics A by the same score.
They owed it to their leading lights Andrew Ely and George Downing, who will hope their four-set doubles’ victory indicates an improvement in that department, as they have a good chance of the title if their form continues.
In Division 2, Newport Vics B marched serenely on, the division title already a certainty.
They lost the first match against Saints A, but then swept the opposition aside by winning the next nine.
The remaining matches brought surprises with lower-placed teams defeating higher ones.
CPC Panthers beat Ryde Cheetahs 6-4. John Cornforth was their hero with three wins and John Winkles sensationally beat Mike Platt.
Both bottom teams won, with Ryde Lions defeating Havenstreet B, the latter again without Dave Rendle. Nick Kelly won two and super-sub Monty Singh contributed a hat-trick towards and excellent 6-4 victory.
Newport Vics C went one better with a 7-3 victory against inconsistent CPC Stooges. Darren Cooke won three and Martin Parsonage two.
In the 30-Up competition, Ryde Ravens will need to avoid only a major setback to be deprived of the runners-up medal. They defeated Venturians 21-9.
However, the hero of the match was the indomitable Roy Wiltshire, who again won his three singles.
Even Monty Singh, who scored a hat-trick in the higher division 2 that same week, could not stop him. Ryde Rooks have already made sure of the title.