THE youngsters of Budmouth College B have won on just a single occasion this term in Weymouth & District League Division Three but they produced by far their best performance of the season when they were narrowly beaten 23-18 at home by Wyke Regis C.

Tom Cherry, who recently became the league’s junior singles champion at the closed tournament, excelled on the night to clinch all three singles rubbers while showing maturity beyond his years to take the fifth set twice.

Wyke’s Dave Wyatt (8) led 2-1 against Cherry but the 14-year-old fought back to win the next two sets 11-6, 11-7 in the opening contest before repeating the feat by overcoming experienced John Southway (8) 14-12, 11-3, 8-11, 13-15, 11-9 in a marathon struggle.

Sam Millar chipped in with five legs for the hosts including an early 3-1 defeat of Michal Puzanovina (4) whilst Tom’s twin sister Lily Cherry won her first ever match coming from 2-0 down to overcome the same player 13-11 in the final set of a thrilling five-setter.

In the end, Wyke had to use every ounce of guile to take the match with an expected 3-0 success in the doubles but it was a stirring effort from the basement side.

Meanwhile up in the top flight, Springfield A look to be heading towards their third league title in four years which is of little surprise with both Jon Bissett (98 per cent) and Sean Ferguson (88) in such a rich vein of form.

Bissett, the newly crowned first division singles champion, dropped just a single set, against Terry Whitworth (4), in a recent 25-13 success against Colliton A at the Reynolds Institute.

Game of the night saw Oleg Cocervei come back from 2-1 down against Ray Harwood (5) to win in five sets – 11-6 in the final leg.

Harwood would have taken much satisfaction from his 3-0 defeat of league number three Ferguson who did recover to inflict defeats on both Miranda Edwardes (2) in four legs, and Whitworth in straight sets.

A decent night’s table tennis was ended with a pulsating doubles clash where Ferguson, partnering Bissett, gained some revenge on Harwood alongside cohort Edwardes, with a magnificent comeback from 2-1 down to take the final legs 19-17, 11-6.

* League secretary Andy Millar would like to remind players that the entry deadline for the Bournemouth one-star tournament at Portchester on March 31 is Monday, March 19.

For more details contact Andy on 07507 202196.