Press Correspondent:   Peter Thompson      
ETTA Senior Coach
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Tough Debut For Battling Pudsey

Pudsey’s top cadet boys having qualified to play in the top echelons of junior table tennis in the British league found the going tough on debut in Loughborough at the weekend. In the opening match they faced Southampton and Daniel Adams started the campaign with an opening victory. Southampton levelled straight away but Pudsey then took the next two games to lead 3-1 with an opening game victory a distinct possibility. Southampton rallied and the game finished in a disappointing draw.
Facing South Yorkshire rivals Sheffield, James Atkins lost 11-4 in the fifth end in the opening game. However with Adams taking 2 and Danny Beech 1 Pudsey were soon 3-1 in front. Atkins this time came through a five end nervy affair to win 11-8 and give Pudsey their first British League Victory.

After this Bright start Pudsey in the last match of the day on Saturday then suffered a 5-1 defeat to Bedford Modern only Ross Mcfadyen making an impact.

Sunday morning saw Pudsey face the unbeaten Irish Side Ballincollig led by the unbeaten Kevin O’Keefe. Adams was soon trailing by 2 games but a change of tactics and with a strong fighting spirit he clawed the games back to 2-2. A strong start in the fifth saw Adams lead 6-2 but a time out saw O’Keefe pull the score to 8-8. Adams was not to be denied and took the game 11-8. This was to be the only success but the score line of a 5-1 lost was an injustice to the battling qualities of the team who lost a number of very tight ends.

Pudsey then faced second placed Hollington and again looked in trouble losing the opening match and Adams again trailing in the next. However the side was up for the fight and soon were 2-1 in front thanks to another Adams fight back and a convincing victory by Atkins over Coombes. Pudsey top player of the weekend Daniel Adams produced another tense affair to increase the lead to 3-1. With Ross Mcfadyen taking the opening leg comfortably over Coombes it looked like a straight forward victory. However Coombes came out firing and soon took the next two games. Ross levelled the match to 2-2 and led early on in the fifth but then found himself 10-8 down. With brave attacking play and a few high risk shots he managed to win 12-10.

This resilient performance puts Pudsey in third position and in with a chance of promotion at the second weekend in Wolverhampton next February.