DEFENDING champions Topspin 'A' took their chance to close in on leaders Coneysthorpe 'A' at the top of the Red Goat York & District Table Tennis League first division.

Jon Wooldridge led the way with three wins in an 8-2 defeat of Coneysthorpe 'B', including a 19-17 win in the fifth against Mike Polkinghorn, who won two for the visitors.

Coneys 'A' team had no match and are now only four points ahead with unbeaten Topspin still having another game in hand.

Maximums from Mikey Arnold and Bryan Birkbeck saw Shiyi Ling 'A' thrash Clarence 'B' 9-1 to keep up their challenge, while University 'B' beat York RI 'B' by the same score thanks to trebles from Calum Goodwin, Tsz Tang and Huilan Zong.

John Farmery and Aidan Ranftler picked up three wins each as Clarence 'A' defeated Topspin 'B' 8-2.

Division two is proving competitive.

University 'B' played twice this week and their 11 points catapulted them from bottom to fourth.

Maximums from Frank Feng and Michael Connolly saw them defeat Wigginton & Haxby 'A' 7-3, though they succumbed 6-4 to two-man Bootham 'A', for whom Gareth Bryning won three and Ian Hilton two.

Gary Bunce’s three wins could not save for Clarence 'D' from a 6-4 defeat to joint-leaders Shepherds 'A', for whom Will Beedham and Ian Williams won two each.

Rich Harrison won three for Bootham 'B' in a 5-5 draw with York RI 'D', while a maximum from Stephen Temple helped Ryedale 'A' defeat Poppleton 8-2.

Three wins each by Howard Broadbent and Dave Simpson saw BT 'A' beat York RI 'E' 8-2 and stay top of division three.

Thomas Cuthbert won University 'C' only points as they lost 7-3 to Clarence 'F'. Ed Wardman won three in Ryedale 'B's 5-5 draw with BT 'B'.

In division four, 15-year-old newcomer Dom Perry won his first match for York RI 'G' in their 5-5 draw with Clarence 'H'.

Leaders Wigginton & Haxby 'C’ saw off a depleted York RI 'G' 9-1 to extend their lead at the top as second-placed Wigginton & Haxby 'C' lost to third-placed University 'D', the students prevailing 6-4 thanks to a treble from Kieran Podbury.

The Uni team also beat bottom-placed Shiyi Ling 'D' 9-1 with Podbury again winning three as did Aaron Graham. Shiyi Ling 'D' also fell 7-3 to Wigginton & Haxby 'E', while a maximum from Nigel Baker helped Shepherds 'C' to defeat Clarence 'H' by the same score.