It looks likely that some unfamiliar names are going to have a major say in the battle for top honours in division one of the Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League.

Leaders ECC A employed the services of Andrew Dosher from Ipswich to great effect and his services were appreciated as he helped his side to a 10-0 win over Boreham.

Dosher's Suffolk county colleague Ian Brown was equally successful and his hat-trick of wins combined with three successes for the two Dave's, Cole and Window, enabled ECC B to consolidate second place with a 10-0 victory over Billericay.

Danbury A are looking to Barnet to bolster their challenge and Tom Carr and Andrew Nash produced some excellent play to take all seven singles as Danbury beat Baddow Village A 7-3.

However Baddow will probably consider this a well-earned point with Steve Pennell, Waseem Qureshi and Jon Hill all doing well to get the better of Colin Marco.

Elmtree Graphics A's new signing John Holland joined Chris Jacob as they got the better of EEV A 9-1 while Rawreth A beat Danbury B, also 9-1.

Ian Whiteside took Danbury's game with an excellent 22-20 in the third success over Simon Woods.

Duncan Taylor and an increasingly assured George Reeves were both unbeaten for Rawreth.

EEV B are looking increasingly like the team to beat in division two and their excellent team spirit was illustrated perfectly as they got the better of third placed Maldon C 6-4.

Fast improving Barry Mays was unbeaten and in the process he took away Paul Richardson's 100 per cent record but good wins for Maurice Hardy over Brian Riedling and John Batchford gave EEV the edge.

Batchford had a night he may want to forget, going down 19,-21,-15 to Hardy and by an agonising 16,-19,-23 to Richardson.

Struggling Danbury D scored a welcome 10-0 win over an understrength Baddow Village B who were a player short.

However David Knights, Peter Hance and Nickey Reece-Ford will be the first to admit that the scoreline was flattering as all seven games played went to a third end and a luckless Graham Turner and Adrian Pitt managed to lose the lot.

Danbury C consolidated second position with a 9-1 win over Rawreth B.

Dave Finlayson and Geoff Beavington were both undefeated and it was county no. 3 junior Neil Disley who scored for Rawreth with an excellent 24-22 in the third win over Gordon Gatherall.

Excalibur A and OCs A could not be separated and it was Nigel Lamb who stole the show with three singles wins which included a 21-6, 21-16 win over the usually impregnable Maurice Lakin and a spell-binding 21-19, 26-28, 30-28 success over John Watts which is by far the longest set of the year so far.

Danbury E are the in-form team in division three and their fine run continued with a 7-3 win over Baddow Village C.

New-boy Phil Brandon proved a suitable replacement for Bob Bennett and reserve Brian Ellis played his part with a superb never-say-die 22-20 in the third victory over Duncan Elloy.

League President Norman Smith was equally impressive with two-straight wins over both Elloy and Alistair Brown.

ECC F had Roy Haffield to thank as they got the better of Excalibur B 6-4 while ECC G with Malcolm Storey undefeated saw off ECC 7-3.

Struggling OCs C continue to battle away and they earned an excellent draw with Ingatestone A.

Alan Offord and Ray Mitchell both recorded good wins over Steve Elliott.

All players are reminded that the Closing date for entering the Chelmsford Closed Tournament is on Monday, (December 6).

Entry forms, which are in the League handbook, should be forwarded to Arthur Clark either via your Club Secretary or directly. Results

Division Four: Maldon C 9, Hatfield Peverel D 1; Danbury F 9, Baddow Village D1; ECC H 6, EPHQ 4; Baddow Village E 5, Danbury G 5.

Division Five: Writtle C 6, Maldon Borough 4; Hatfield Peverel C 7, OCs E 3; Danbury H 5, Baddow Village F 5; ECC K 6, Writtle D 4; Elmtree Graphics 6, Highwood 4.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.