Newton Abbot had two representatives in the Exeter Table Tennis Finals Night, held at County Hall on Thursday last week.

Dennis Gibbs and Kevin Nicholls, who play for Denbury Demons, have been members of the team that has won the league for the last five seasons.

However, this year, Gibbs, Nicholls, Mike Dummett and Nick Halse just missed out to West Exe A from Exeter, but there was a chance for Gibbs and Nicholls to get some recompense on the night.

Gibbs was hoping to add to his trophy collection, taking part in four events, but had to give best to Rory Harries in the men's semi-final in the first game of the night. Harries has gone through the season without losing a match, and although Gibbs took an entertaining third game, Harries upped his effort to secure his place in the final.

In the final, he faced Dawid Gawron, who beat Yannick Tushingham in the other semi, with Gawron taking the title in four.

The men's doubles final featured Gibbs and Nicholls against the father and son pairing of Tim and Mark Burridge, who play for league champions West Exe A.

The Demons' pair, who had just lost out last year in the final after a six-year winning streak, quickly got into their stride to take the first game.

The second end saw Mark hit top form with big backhand and forehand winners to level the match.

However, this was the only success for the Burridge Boys as Gibbs and Nicholls won the next two games 11-2 and 11-3, the victory putting Gibbs' name on the trophy for a record 15th time.

Gibbs then teamed up with Penny Perry in the mixed final against Rory Harries and Pat Lyons.

The holders kept Harries and Lyons at bay with Perry, in particular, blocking angled returns against heavily spun shots past a startled Lyons.

Perry has now won this event 13 times against Gibbs' nine.

Last year's veterans' final was repeated, with Gibbs and Nicholls contesting it. The result was the same again, with Gibbs winning 15-13 in three straight legs to retain the Len Suter Trophy for the third consecutive year and the tenth time in total.

The loudest cheer of the night went to the winner of the Keith Ponting Shield.

Ponting was the English Table Tennis president when he died last year, not long after he had been invited to Buckingham Palace for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Ponting had long connections with the Exeter League and his wife, Rosemary. presented the award to the person who has done much over the years to help promote table tennis in the Exeter area.

The shield went to Roger Woodhead, who despite being a lifelong wheelchair user has played, coached and worked tirelessly for table tennis. He received a well deserved standing ovation, with Rosemary saying that Keith would been proud that Roger was the first winner of the shield. MORE SPORT IN OUR DIGITAL EDITION