Exciting End To Season

The GTTA 2022/23 season finished with the Basewell League , Division B Play Off Final last week and what a cliff-hanger it was, going right to the wire . After the first round of league matches the two finalists (Exterminetters and Roy’s Fish n Chips) had been level on points with two other teams ( Geriatrics and 2&1 ) . Exterminetters and Roy’s Fish n Chips eventually managed to pull away in the 2nd round and earned the right to contest the Final .
The first rubber between Paul Moore (Exterminetters) and Ben Crossley ( Roy’s Fish n Chips) was evenly matched . Moore won crucial points with sidespin serves and , helped by a couple of fortunate net cords , took the game 11 - 9 . Ben Crossley came back in the 2nd and 3rd games with similar scores of 11 - 9 , 11 - 9 . It was only in the 4th game when Crossley managed to pull away briefly and take it 11 - 6 . 1 - 0 to Roy’s Fish n Chips.
Philip Wu ( Exterminetters) was too strong for Roy Pearce ( Roy’s Fish n Chips) in the 2nd rubber . Pearce struggled withn Philp Wu ‘s serve , who won 11 - 4 , 11 - 2 , 11 - 9 to level the final at 1 - 1 .
The doubles match did not disappoint . Moore/Wu took first game 11 - 6 but Crossley / Pearce came back strongly to win the next two games 11- 7 , 11 - 9 and had match point in the 4th game at 10 - 9 . Moore/ Wu saved it , however , and took the game 12 - 10 . The deciding game was no different with Crossley/ Pearce coming from behind to level at 10 - 10 but Moore/Wu winning it 12 - 10 yet again to make the match score 2 - 1 to Exterminetters.
Ben Crossley again came from behind in the 4th rubber to beat Philip Wu 10 - 12 , 11- 5 , 11- 9 , 11- 7 and level the match score at 2 - 2 .
The deciding rubber between Paul Moore and Roy Pearce was as tight as the doubles match had been with Moore just edging it 13 - 11 , 12 - 10 , 8-11 , 9-11 , 11 - 7 to make it 3 - 2 to Exterminetters.
Both teams congratulated each other in what was a truly exciting Final and fitting end to the competitive season.
The GTTA have made substantial gains in the last few seasons . With the support of the GSLA and the availability of the MUGA Hall, as well as their sponsors Basewell, they had their first senior 8 team league in over 20 years which was cut short due to the Covid lockdown of 2020. Undeterred they have organised successive junior leagues and junior development tournaments over the last 4 seasons , as well as a senior Singles League last year and this seasons senior league which has culminated in Division A and B finals .
Competitions aside ,they also provide for members who wish to join and just play social table tennis . The MUGA Hall table tennis end is quite busy most days , including weekends .