Rotherham's table tennis scene bounces back from difficult times

The Rotherham Table Tennis League has seen a gradual increase in the number of players since the post-Covid dip and now has the highest for many years.

Secretary Chris Johnson said: “In the 20-21 season there were 90 players in the league and in the current season this has increased to 140.

"More pleasing has been the increase in junior players (U19s) from four to 15, and there are potentially more coming through.

"Great credit for this should go to Rotherham Scorpions Table Tennis Club, one of the area's top junior clubs.

"The current divisional structure is now full and will need expanding to accept more teams, although lack of suitable match venues is a potential issue.”

Any adults wanting to play table tennis can attend one of the social sessions at Clifton Methodist Church, Lister Street, on Tuesdays and Fridays (10am-noon) and Wednesdays (10.45am-12.45pm).

Junior sessions are also held by Rotherham Scorpions, again at Clifton, on Friday evenings from 7pm-9pm.

Rotherham United Community Trust also have sessions on Thursdays 2pm-4pm at the New York Stadium and more social Bat and Chat sessions on Mondays from 3pm-4.30pm.

Meanwhile, with the season just over a third of the way through, a similar pattern is emerging in Division One with perennial champions Scorpions A leading the way.

But as usual, JSPD A and Stag A are chasing closely and it is likely the typical tight matches between these teams will decide who ends up triumphant.

The current top scorer is James Houghton (Stag A), who is well supported by team-mate David Charlton.

South Yorkshire County Senior team-mates and Mark Johnson, Lewis Ellams (both Scorpions A) and Pete Morgan Jr (JSPD A) are also in hot pursuit to be the best performing player of the top division.

At the bottom the singular relegation spot is also tight. The JSPD B trio of John Earnshaw, Luke Dyson and Paul Dalby secured a vital 8-2 win over fellow strugglers Phoenix A.

Phoenix B in Division 2 are putting the disappointment of missing out on promotion to the top flight last season by boasting a hundred per cent winning record.

Colin Scott and Gary Sides, both of Clifton, currently lead the individual charts but the player to watch is Daniel Gray (Phoenix B), who has only lost to Tom Bolland (Scorpions C) all season.

Yo-yo team, Scorpions D, are looking marooned at the bottom despite the return of their skipper and Rotherham’s leading female and County Senior, Emily Walker.

Early front runners in Division 3, Scorpions F, have slipped. Despite impressive performance from juniors Jacob Hargreaves and Callum Garner in the early part of the season, the more experienced players have learned to adapt to their aggressive style.

Phoenix C are now in pole position after cruelly missing out on promotion last year and are certainly the team to beat. The talismanic, John Hallgarth, is leading the wins column and he is well supported by the ever youthful, Eric Hall. Phoenix are looking Division 2 bound.