YORK champion Richard Moss and his coach Mick Wilcockson, from Selby, finished third and fourth respectively at the Eggerton 2-star open table tennis tournament held in Cheshire.

Qualifying for the top super group, they both scored good wins against Chris Bray (Lancashire), James Brown (West Yorkshire), Keith Lesser (Essex) and Chris Marlow (Hertfordshire).

And in a repeat of the men's final at this year's York Close Championships, teenager Moss used his power to beat Wilcockson's stubborn defensive skills.

They both lost to Eggerton tournament runner-up Tony Issac (Staffordshire) and eventual winner Matthew Spero (Essex), though Wilcockson gave the champion one of his hardest games, coming from two sets down to level before losing the decider.

Moss, who plays for Poppleton in York League and for Derwent in the National League, has for the first time moved into the top 20 of the national junior rankings, at number 16.

He now aims to break into the top ten and with two full seasons left in his age group his big ambition is to eventually get into the England squad.

England-rated junior Simon Noutch (Leeds) won Derwent Table Tennis Club's pre-season invitation tournament at Riccall.

Noutch, who had an excellent victory over top seed Richard Smith (Leeds), did lose one match, 11-9 in the fifth to third-placed Steve Brunskill (Middlesbrough), but a better sets ratio than his rivals saw him take the title.

In the lower sections Richard Crowther overcame his York RI colleague Paul Noutch to win the Band 'B' title.

In Band 'C', Sherburn's Daniel Jenkins beat James Parker (York RI).

The Derwent club are planning a number of invitation tournaments of this type throughout the season and are keen to hear from any players in York and Selby areas who are interested in taking part.

There are sections for all levels of ability.

The next event is on Sunday, September 15.

If you wish to enter, contact Mick Wilcockson on 01757 706356, or you can download a form from York Table Tennis Association's web site at www.farmery30.freeserve.co.uk

Updated: 12:23 Wednesday, August 21, 2002