THE Huddersfield Table Tennis League are expecting great things of their side as the Yorkshire League gets under way this weekend.

Huddersfield have a strong squad of veterans and have entered three teams.

The first team last season suffered from unavailability of key players at a crucial stage of the season and were relegated to Division II.

Their aim of a quick return to the top flight is helped by a strong line-up of Tim Dyson, Russell Senior and Janet Adams who will be on duty when they travel to meet Bradford III.

Both other Huddersfield teams are in Division III, the second team of Phil Schofield, Stuart Sykes and Bob Sanderson are away to Leeds III, and the third team will make a late selection from a squad of over 30 players for their match at home to Wakefield II.

In the latest league meetings Janet Adams was in fine form, winning all her three sets for Kingsmith B in their 6-4 defeat at the hands of Woodfield Park A.

Keith Skarz and David Wood both won twice and Mike Belk once for the victors.

Chris Williams did well to beat Mike Belk and John Langfield and can count himself a little unlucky not to have scored after taking Skarz all the way, losing a potentially match-winning fourth game 13-15 before being overcome in the fifth 11-3.

Newly promoted Kingsmith C have yet to record their first win, but Gareth Stott will have been pleased to take the scalps of Tony Stead and Bob Sanderson in his side’s 6-4 defeat by Marsh Wanderers.

In Division IIB there was a first defeat for Kingsmith Peel Walker as they went down 7-3 to Woodfield Park B.

Mike Belk opened a busy week winning all his three games, supported by two wins from Steve Knott and one from Derek Moorhouse, while newcomer Chris Haw won twice for the losers.

Marsh C’s bright start to the season in Division IIA continued with a 6-4 win over Deighton A, for whom Barry Drain was undefeated.

Keith Hague could only manage one win after coming into the match with a 100% record, but his colleagues Steve Martin and Steve Dunn both managed two wins each and a doubles success clinched the match.

The match between Kingsmith E and Newsome B produced a rare occurrence in the local league as two players using a ‘penholder’ grip competed against each other.

This grip is still much favoured in Asia but is not common in Europe.

Veteran Dougie Thorp, in his 80’s but still highly competitive, faced Newsome newcomer Francis Cioffi.

Cioffi has come back into table tennis after years on the squash court, and previously played many years ago in the Oldham League.

While still a little rusty, his attacks on the backhand in particular proved too strong for Thorp and also accounted for Steve Cook.

However, he just lost out in a five game tussle with David Wood as his side went down 6-4 – Wood, Cook and Graham Hudson, for the losers, all won twice.