CHRIS PRINCE produced an outstanding display to topple championship-chasing captain Charlie Childs in the Southampton table tennis league last week.

But it was still not enough to stop the seemingly inevitable march to the title as Childs' Generation II team of Hampshire champions Graham Toole and Miki Sinanan were unbeaten against Snows D to ensure maximum points.

Nearest challengers Snows A had an easy 10-0 win over Alpha A, while Christos Hannides and Mark Butler scored maximums as Waterside A beat Snows B 8-2. Colin Thompson was the other winner for the victors, while Robin Plunkett and Don Child each got a win for Snows.

Insurance A again lost 10-0, this time to Dave Russell, Julian Walton and Steve White of Snows C.

Alpha B move to the top of Division 1 at the halfway stage after a 9-1 win over Ordnance Survey A. Phil Allen won the only game for OS when he beat Alan McAlpine 21-15, 21-17. Alister Turner and Glenn Medcalf were both unbeaten for Alpha.

Snows E also beat Ord Survey A, this time 7-3. Anne Longland and Chris Shetler were both unbeaten for Snows. Each of the OS team of Ivan McMorran, Doug Taylor and Bob Pollard won one game.

A maximum by former Hampshire junior Dave Dobson helped St Denys A beat Four Ts A 7-3, Barry Dobson (2) and Julian Rickman (1) the other St Denys winners.

For the second week on the trot, top Division 2 player Fleming Alison was beaten as his team, Woolston B, crashed to a 7-3 top-of-the-table defeat against Waterside D. Dave Goodyer was the hero, supported by Malcolm Bunce and Julie Eldridge, and the victory put Waterside D two points clear at the top of the division.

Maximums from Jason Lockyer and Eddie Tompkins gave BAT B an easy 8-2 victory over NF Nalgo.

Waterside F had no trouble beating two-man St Denys B 9-1, leaving the St Deny's side facing a hard second half of the season to avoid relegation.

A maximum from Tony Tidswell gave Waterside E a 7-3 victory over Four Ts B, with reserve player Dennis Elkins also showing his class with two wins. Des Ely, Chris Sims and David Cosway won the games for Four Ts.

Four Ts C remain top of Division 3 following a 7-3 win over Waterside G. Martin Ceresa was again unbeaten and took the doubles with Tony Fern. Tony and Steve Lumb chipped in with two and one respectively.

Bottom-of-the-table Hospitals took one point from BAT C when they went down 3-7. Richard Mclure won all his games together with the doubles with Witek Ottembrajt. Two wins from Dave Pearce and one from Witek completed BAT's score.

Waterside K came out on top 7-3 against clubmates Waterside J. Dan Long had a good match, winning his three games and the doubles with his father, Gordon.

Simmarians gained a maximum points 8-2 win over near rivals Ordnance Survey B, with John Simonds unbeaten to help them move within three points of the leaders with a game in hand.

In a top-versus-bottom match, Southampton West A overcame their clubmates in the D team 8-2.

Captain Gary Longland only participated in the doubles, with John McBeath and Mark Knowles undefeated while Greg Jones lost to David Wills and Jon Whittel.

The Insurance B team of Roger Bradley, Adrian Aldis and Terry May remain second after overwhelming lowly Four Ts D 9-1. Pirelli A kept third place with a 7-3 victory over Southampton West C, despite a spirited straight-games maximum from young David McBeath.

Tireless McBeath also played as a reserve for Southampton West B two days later and again was undefeated when his team were held to draw by Wimpey.

Dave Mason and Alex Turnbull each won two for Wimpey, with Bill Bull getting the fifth game.

The match between Pirelli B and Alpha F was postponed as neither could produce a full team.