Minor Premiers Sharnie's Boys are the first side into the Grand Final of the Lithgow Table Tennis Association Autumn Competition after a last rubber victory over Smashes in their Major Semi-final clash played at the Old Trades Hall.
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Sharnie's Boys never trailed, but couldn't shake off the challenge from Smashes until the end of the hard-fought contest.
The Boys went ahead 2-0, 4-3, 7-5 and 9-8, but each time Smashes fought back to level the scores at 2-2, 5-5, 7-7 and 10-10.
Sharnie's Boys grabbed the last singles 2-0 to enter the doubles with a precious 12-10 edge.
Smashes still wouldn't lie down, and snatched a tight first doubles 2-1 to reduce the deficit to one at 13-12. Smashes could now steal the match by winning the second doubles 2-0 or send it to a sudden-death third doubles with a 2-1 margin.
Sharnie's Boys held their nerve though, taking it themselves 2-1, to secure the first Grand Final spot, 15-13.
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Mick Wagner bounced back to form with an unblemished 6-0 record for Sharnie's Boys, while Sharnie Roberts and Jason Bailey gave solid support with a pair of 3-5 results.
Matthew Kappos (4-2) was best for a gallant Smashes team that just weren't able to poke their noses in front, with Peter Jaccoud ending square at 4-4 and Linda Kappos returning 2-6.
The Minor Semi-final trod a different path, as Grippers shocked the more favoured Charolais by racing through the first three rubbers all 2-0 and adding a 2-1 result in the fourth to hold a commanding 8-1 lead.
Grippers kept their opponents at arm's length to make it 11-4 before a 6-2 Charolais run in the last three singles rubbers gave them a chance at 13-10 down with only the doubles to come.
Charolais had to be near perfect from there to pinch an unlikely victory but Grippers put it to bed by taking the first doubles 2-0 to keep their season alive, 15-10.
Shane Eagle and Riza Wiradi both produced 5-3 marks for a Grippers side that has found some form of late, and Lou Kappos went 3-4.
No one stood out for Charolais as they became the first team to exit the competition, with Pauline Wellfare (4-4), Sean Jenkins (3-4) and Mark McAulay (3-5) just off the pace in this match.
This Week's Match: Final; Smashes v Grippers.
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