Division 1 leaders Vikings A had a close battle with Holton in round one of the Oxford & District Table Tennis Association Aubrey Hughes Handicap Shield.

The champions had to claw back 260 points at Holton and made a slow start, with Brian Dobson taking 20 points from Vikings’ Pavel Jaskolski and Holton’s Sharon Curtis drawing 1-1 with Alex Schaefer.

But from then on Jingyu Sun rose to the challenge, dropping only 27 points in his three matches.

After six matches the handicapper was dead on target. Schaefer beat Dobson 21-12, 21-18 in the final singles, then Jaskolski and Sun’s 21-9, 21-5 doubles success gave Vikings overall victory by 419-415.

Sue Gokgor was the star for Gladiators B as they pulled off an exciting 420-413 victory over Forum C.

Vikings C scraped through 410-399 against Forum J, who were given a 180 point start.

Forum’s James Rowan provided an early shock by beating Geraint Lloyd 21-13 in the first leg, but Vikings did enough.

RESULTS CHECK 1st round: Forum G (+130) 459, Begbroke 383; Forum J (+180) 399, Vikings C 410; Gladiators B (+190) 420, Forum C 413; Bicester A 420, Haddenham B (+250) 390; Forum B 420, Bicester E (+250) 387; Vikings E 418, Forum K (+180) 380; Forum L (+140) 370, Forum I 414; Vikings G (+130) 453, Forum F 325; Forum H (+130) 395, Bicester B 416; Holton B (+260) 415, Vikings A 419; Haddenham A (+140) 394, Vikings B 416; Vikings H (+180) 374, Forum D 252; Witney (+140) 381, Vikings D 419; Bicester C (+210) w/o Holton A conceded; Forum E (+140) w/o Forum A. Byes: Gladiators A, Vikings F, Bicester D.

LEADING PLAYERS Div 1: J Sun (Vikings A) 12 wins out of 12; P Jaskolski (Vikings A) 11, 12; K Bushell (Forum A) 11, 15; A Cherry (Vikings A) 10, 12; T Gorman (Bicester A) 10, 12; G Donovan (British Rail) 8, 15.

Div 2: M Wagner (Vikings D) 11, 12; P Humphrey (Begbroke) 11, 12; P Borrowdale (Vikings E) 10, 12; J Lawton Smith (Vikings D) 9, 12; K Giles (Gladiators A) 9, 12; J Abungan (Bicester B) 8, 9.

Div 3: D Badham (Bicester D) 11, 12; J Shardlow (Bicester C) 8, 9; S Price (Forum F) 8, 9; G Plowman (Forum I) 8, 9; J Marrs (Bicester C) 8, 12; A Legge (Forum I) 8, 12.

Div 4: T Bachkirova (Vikings G) 10, 12; G East (Forum K) 8, 9; J Rowan (Forum J) 7, 9; D Harris (Forum K) 7, 9; J Tremayne (Vikings G) 7, 12; B Dobson (Holton B) 6, 6; H Morgan (Vikings H) 6, 6.