Only three of the New Milton Table Tennis Club’s teams were in action in the Bournemouth and District League last week as their other seven teams all had “byes”.

In Div 1, the B team (Brian Bickell, Shaun Newcomb & John Millward) repeated their first round 8-2 victory over basement boys Merton D, this time away at Southbourne. England veteran Bickell came up with his seventh hat-trick of the campaign but captain Newcomb and Millward had to settle for a brace apiece. Maximum points were secured as Bickell & Newcomb paired clinically to take the doubles.

The Bee’s result came as a great favour to their Div 1 fellows in the C team as it prevented bottom-placed Merton D from gaining any further ground on them as they currently lie third from bottom.

Div 3 saw the table-topping G team (Simon Golding, Simon Daish & Danny Williams) avenge a first-round 4-6 defeat by beating Bmth Sports J 7-3 in their own back yard. Daish came up with his sixth hat-trick of the season, Golding bagged a brace and Williams chipped in with the one win.

The club’s biggest turn-around came in Div 4 as the H team (Les Smith, George Roberts & Malcolm Douglas) overcame a 1-9 demolition by Bmth Sports H at home to hold them to a 5-5 draw down at Chapel Gate. Captain Smith and Roberts bagged a brace apiece and Douglas added one more to the tally. Inspired by their in-form captain Les Smith (pictured below), the H team are gradually inching themselves away from danger, but they are still lying fourth from bottom so they need to keep up the pressure.

DIVISION 1

Merton D 2 New Milton B 8

(Brian Bickell 3, Shaun Newcomb 2, John Millward 2)

DIVISION 3

Bmth Sports J 3 New Milton G 7

(Simon Golding 2, Simon Daish 3, Danny Williams 1)

DIVISION 4

Bmth Sports M 5 New Milton H 5

(George Roberts 2, Les Smith 2, Malcolm Douglas 1)