With 5 teams left in the last 8 of the Times & Directory Handicap Plate competition, the New Milton Table Tennis Club eagerly awaited the draw to see which of their teams would be playing against their own club-mates. Well, the draw has taken place and strangely enough there is just the one local club derby in the quarter-finals, with the D team facing the G team.

Terry Jenvey’s D team won the Plate in 2014/15 and are looking for success away from the league where they are languishing second from bottom in Div 2. Graham Underwood’s G team are currently second from top in Div 3 and wouldn’t they just love to win the Plate and promotion in their first season in the league. The Gees are the “home” side so the match will be played at the Grange School, Somerford.  Just a reminder below of the D team who won the Plate final in 2014/2015: Kai Major, Terry Jenvey (Captain) and Chris Pusey.  Kai is not playing competitively at the moment having only recently recovered from a major illness, but Terry and Chris are still treading the boards for the D’s.

John Millward’s B team are second from bottom of the Premier and have to travel to Chapel Gate to take on Div 4 basement boys Bmth Sports M, so both teams are looking for a bit of light relief from a disappointing season so far. The good news for the Bees is that wily England Veteran Brian Bickell is back from long term injury and can replace John Hook who suffered an Achilles tendon injury in a league match.

Stuart Burton takes his L team away to Cole Hill to face Shamrock A who play a division higher in Div 4, while the E team from Div 2 entertain Bmth Sports D (Div 1) home at Mudeford Wood.

In the Cup proper, Malcolm Nash’s Div 3 F team take on the Premier’s Ringwood A in their semi-final at a neutral venue to be decided. If Milton succeed, they will face either Merton G or Merton K in the Cup Final.

You have to go as far back as the 1997/1998 season for when one of the club’s teams last won the actual Cup (the A team), but the Plate was won by Les Smith’s G team last season (2015/2016).

All matches are to be played week commencing Monday 27^th February 2017.

The full draw is below:-

TIMES & DIRECTORY HANDICAP CUP

New Milton F (Div 3) v Ringwood A (Premier)

Merton K (Div 4) v Merton G (Div 3)

TIMES & DIRECTORY HANDICAP PLATE

Bmth Sports M (Div 4) v New Milton B (Premier)

Shamrock A (Div 4) v New Milton L (Div 5)

New Milton E (Div 2) v Bmth Sports D (Div 1)

New Milton G (Div 3) v New Milton D (Div 2)