HAVING lost talisman Paul Carter towards the end of last season, All Saints A are enduring a tougher time than they have become accustomed to in the top flight of the Weymouth & District League.

After five games, Saints are just one point off the bottom of the table and are yet to win a match but captain Steve Rook will surely hope that their campaign is now up and running following one of the games of the season at the Reynolds Institute.

Visitors, and last term’s runners-up, Shipton Gorge were held to a 21-21 draw by a Saints side that had Rook at the top of his game as he fought off successive challenges from Eddy Buck, Gil Roberts and Jim Saunders – winning all those singles encounters in five sets.

Probably the game of the night saw Rook lose the opening two sets to Roberts (8) 12-10 and 11-9 before charging back to win in five – 11-6, 11-8 and 11-6.

In the fifth rubber, Keith Thompson (6) enjoyed a terrific five-setter with Jim Saunders (7) and narrowly ran out a 3-2 winner, courtesy of a 13-11 fifth-set triumph.

Andy Millar also chipped in with six sets on the night after suffering an early disappointment – losing to Saunders in another match to go the distance that ended 12-10 in the final set.

Crucially for Shipton, Roberts (8) fought back from 1-0 down against Millar in the final singles to take it 3-1 and so reduce the deficit to 21-18 in the hosts’ favour going into the showdown doubles.

Experienced pairing Buck and Roberts were too slick for the Rook and Thompson combo – taking it 3-0 and so levelling up a thrilling night’s play at 21 apiece.

Meanwhile, Preston A are leading the way in the second division, having won all seven of their matches, including a 20-12 defeat of Hawks that saw Mike Page take a full nine sets maximum without dropping a set.

In the third tier, unbeaten Preston D are setting high standards as they showed in their most recent outing – a fine 28-6 humbling of Wyke D at Rymeads Lane.

* The Park District Table Tennis Club meets at the Community Centre in Chelmsford Street, Weymouth every Thursday lunchtime (12-2pm).

All equipment is supplied at the mixed ability sessions, which cost £1.50 per person.

All new players are welcome and the club is looking to start an evening session on Wednesdays in the near future. For more information contact Dave Burchill on 01305 784633.

RESULTS, Weymouth & District League, Division One: Wyke B 19 Shipton A 24, Shipton A 27 Red Triangle 12, Colliton 25 ASA 11, Red Triangle 17 Colliton A 24, Crusaders 14 Wyke A 26, Springfield A 28 Shipton A 6, Red Triangle 27 Wyke A 7, Crusaders 18 YMCA 22, ASA 21 Shipton A 21, Wyke B 27 Springfield C 10, Springfield A 26 YMCA 12, Red Triangle 27 Springfield C 5, Red Triangle 19 Springfield A 18, Shipton A 20 Crusaders 21.

Division Two: Shipton B 27 Springfield B 9, Pilgrims 18 Colliton B 23, Preston B 9 Land Registry 27, Pilgrims 25 Springfield B 11, Shipton B 24 Land Registry 14, Hawks 12 Preston A 20, DYS A 15 Pilgrims 19, Preston B 13 Hawks 23, Pilgrims 15 Preston a 25, Land Registry 26 Springfield B 11, Springfield B 22 Hawks 14, Shipton B 14 DYS A 19, Shipton B 30 Colliton B 5, Pilgrims 18 Colliton B 23, Shipton B 27 Springfield B 9, DYS A 10 Preston A 26, Hawks 23 Wyke D 17.

Division Three: Budmouth B 1 Budmouth A 30, Wyke C 24 Colliton C 15, DYS B 22 Shipton C 13, Colliton C 18 DYS B 23, Preston D 30 Budmouth B 6, Preston D 21 Preston C 18, Budmouth B 6 Shipton C 28, Preston E 15 Preston D 18, DYS B 16 Preston C 20, Wyke C 6 Preston D 28, Budmouth B 9 Preston E 25.