Oldham’s late rally staves off relegation

TABLE TENNIS: OLDHAM men’s team produced the biggest comeback since Lazarus to avoid the drop from the Lancashire and Cheshire League Premier Division.

Still pointless with three games to go, the team of Paul Cicchelli and last-minute call-ups Duncan Hadfield and Lucasz Maciejewski combined to defeat Bury and the Wirral 5-1.

Oldham then faced a ‘winner stays up’ clash against Warrington, and emerged victorious by a 4-2 scoreline.

Cicchelli was unbeaten on the day, while Hadfield suffered one loss.

In the Oldham and District Table Tennis League, Glodwick sealed the Division One title for a fifth consecutive time with a 10-0 defeat of Honeywell ‘B’.

At the opposite end of the table, Coldhurst ‘A’ are relegated after a 9-1 defeat by Honeywell ‘A’.

However, Coldhurst do have the consolation of a handicap cup final on the horizon.

Hyde YMCA ‘A’ have all but clinched top honours in Division Two after a 10-0 win over Deaf ‘A’.

Ken Ward, of Hyde, is also in position to claim the top individual title.

They are likely to be joined in promotion by Werneth ‘C’, who had a 7-3 win over Pennine, after trailing 3-2 at one stage.