Bugbrooke Badgers 10–0 DCA Kings | Northampton Premier Division | 28 September 2026
There are few things more dangerous in Northamptonshire than a badger backed into a corner.
Unfortunately for DCA Kings, these particular Badgers have spent the last two seasons sitting comfortably at the top of the Premier Division, and appear in absolutely no mood to vacate the premises.
The defending champions opened this chapter of their campaign with a comprehensive 10–0 demolition of the Kings, courtesy of Nick Howard, Adrian Piotrowski and Dom Barker.
It was an evening of domination, clinical finishing and, in Dom’s case, a brief attempt to make things interesting.
Cue Ball shows no respect for royalty
Adrian ‘Cue Ball’ Piotrowski continued his relentless assault on local table tennis, securing three victories without surrendering a game.
His encounter with Alec Kingston was particularly unpleasant for the opposition, with the opening two games disappearing 11–1 and 11–2.
At that point, the Kings might reasonably have considered whether surrendering their crown was preferable to further negotiations.
Adrian disagreed and completed the victory anyway.
El Capitan leads from the front
Nick Howard also recorded a hat-trick, although his opening game against Gerald required a little more attention at 13–11.
Alec likewise pushed the captain to 13–11 in the third game of their encounter, briefly threatening to make the contest competitive.
Nick, naturally, will consider these moments compelling evidence of his ability to perform under immense pressure.
The official Clubhouse editorial position remains that winning a game 13–11 is largely indistinguishable from winning it 11–2, providing nobody examines the scorecard.
Dom Barker: keeping the entertainment industry alive
Dom Barker completed the hat-trick of hat-tricks, but not before providing the evening’s principal contribution to spectator entertainment.
Against Ram Kingston, Dom comfortably won the opening two games before inexplicably dropping the third 3–11.
Having apparently remembered which team he represented, he then scraped through the fourth 14–12.
It was an admirable demonstration of how to turn a straightforward victory into a minor administrative crisis.
To his credit, three singles wins represent an excellent evening’s work.
But nobody ever accused Dom of taking the simplest route to a destination.
Nick and Dom then joined forces in the doubles, sealing the tenth and final victory.
The Clubhouse verdict
Ten rubbers played. Ten rubbers won.
Another clean sheet for the reigning champions.
DCA Kings arrived hoping to challenge the established order. They left having discovered that the Badgers remain firmly attached to their throne.
And somewhere in Northamptonshire, the league’s competitive balance committee is already considering its options.