THERE is a fantastic climax to the Huddersfield Table Tennis League season with an array of matches to whet the appetite.

During the last few weeks there has been a series of fixtures between teams vying for the championship or promotion and others fighting to avoid relegation.

In Division I second-placed Lockwood Con B had an outside chance of wrestling the title from Woodfield Park A when they met.

But alas for Lockwood there was to be no miracle and they finished as highly creditable runners-up.

Woodfield Park A, solid and determined as ever, won 6-4 to finish champions with 142 points. They are also semi-finalists in the Concorde Handicap Trophy and had a number of winners and runners-up trophies to boot for various members of their team.

In Division II the situation was even more dramatic.

Lockwood Con C and Marsh Con C, first and second respectively, were playing each other with just one point separating them and Marsh needed a win to take the title.

It could not have been closer. After seven sets Marsh C were leading 5-2 and on the verge of success, but Lockwood fought back.

Philip Cockayne, winning his first set of the evening beat Vance Rickwood, Michael Townend beat David Borcic in five and Ed Bowen put paid to David Taylor’s sterling efforts.

It was a marvellous recovery and a finale worthy of two promotion-bound teams.

With a powerful late surge the Lockwood Con D squad of Gerry Kerr, Geoff Heywood, Garry Moss and Rod Wright took the Division III title, beating Brooks D 10-0 and second-placed Kingsmith D 7-3.

It was a wonderful achievement for a team containing two vice presidents of the League, each with 50 years league experience.

Lockwood Con Club have had a wonderful season with their B team runners up in Division I and their C and D teams winners of Division II and III respectively.

Despite valiant efforts by both Kingsmith D and Kingsmith F it is almost certain that Brooks C will finish runners-up in Division III.

Brooks C require only one set from their last match with David Browns B to beat Kingsmith D, and two sets to defeat Kingsmith F, and that is if either of the Kingsmith teams beat their opponents by 10-0.

This near certainty came about when Brooks C beat Kingsmith D 7-3.

With the score 4-1 to Brooks the match seemed to be drifting aimlessly towards the end of a disappointing challenge, but then it came to life.

David Wood, of Kingsmith, beat Tony Astwick in four games, as did Ron Powell in a marathon five games.

Stuart Waring, who has had an excellent season for Kingsmith D, lost in four to a determined Rod Hullah, and narrowly in five to Jimmy Irving.

Irving, who has played most of his table tennis in Division I, was pushed to the limit by Waring, who defended well and hit a number of cracking backhands.

It was certainly ranked among the best of the Division III performances of the year.

To cap it all there was another classic between Wood and Hullah which Hullah won 11-6, 7-11, 15-13, 9-11, 11-9.

It was some battle, but even this scoreline does not reflect the skill, determination and drama which was evident throughout.

If Brooks C win promotion, as seems likely, they will owe a huge debt of gratitude to Hullah whose crunching style, clever spin variations and devastating backhands negate his mobility difficulties.

His was a triumph of skill and determination – but then you could not fault anyone.