TEENAGER Richard Moss retained the men's singles title at York and District Table Tennis Association's Closed Championships to win the crown for the third year in succession.

In the final he beat the unseeded Paul Noutch, who knocked out second seed Chris Nicholls on his way to the semi-finals, where he then beat fourth seed John Farmery.

But the York RI player was no match in the final for Poppleton's Moss, who won 11-4 11-4 11-7. Moss was much quicker to the ball and at times seemed to have Noutch mesmerised.

Noutch, who was awarded the Clifford Trophy given to the player judged to have produced the most outstanding performances in the championships, had earlier matched a below par Nicholls stroke for stroke. The Sessions club player had no answers to the constant returns of Noutch.

In the first semi-final Noutch beat Farmery (Strensall) 11-7 9-11 12-10 -12-10. Both players were always looking to attack and produced a fine match to watch.

Moss, the number one seed, had to call on all his skills to beat his coach Mick Wilcockson (Sessions) in the other semi-final.

Moss was unable to hit through Wilcockson and had to mix his game with drop shots and pushes just to stay with Wilcockson, who came from 9-5 behind to draw level in the fifth. Moss then produced a beautiful drop shot and a Wilcockson serve allowed the 18-year-old to put away the return for an 11-5 9-11 11-7 5-11 11-9 victory.

Stephen Sales (University) had a fine run in the men's singles, beating sixth seed Graham Hatfield (Strensall) and John Hughes (York RI) on his way to winning his group. Sales later went out to Farmery.

The men's doubles went to Wilcockson and Nicholls, who were always in front in beating Farmery and Hatfield 12-10 11-8 11-4.

Jill Rounce (Railway Associates), going for her shots at every opportunity, retained the women's singles trophy, beating number two seed Helen Standish (Shepherds) 11-0 11-5 11-4 in the final for her fourth successive title.

Rounce and new young playing partner Holly Lewis (York RI) won the women's doubles 12-10 9-11 11-4 13-11 against Marian Broadbent (BT) and Carole Wright (Strensall). Lewis played steadily, keeping the ball on the table while Rounce pounced to hit the points.

Wilcockson and Rounce retained their mixed doubles title, beating number two seeds Doug Bartle (York RI) and Broadbent 12-10 11-3 11-5.

Wilcockson retained the veterans' singles trophy, beating second seed Farmery 11-5 11-8 10-12 11-1 in the final. Wilcockson dominated the match except in the third when Farmery came back from 6-1 down to win 12-10.

Noutch was the star in the veterans' doubles final with some lovely strokes as he and Wilcockson beat Farmery and John Eastwood 8-11 11-4 11-6 11-9.

The class and speed of Moss proved too much for Stephen Parker (York RI) in the junior singles final, Moss winning 11-4 11-3 12-10.

The first-time hitting of Moss had Parker in trouble in the early part of the first two games and it was to Parker's credit that he responded to push Moss much closer in the third.

In a hard-hitting cadets' final top seed Stephen Robinson (York RI) beat Parker 13-11 11-8 12-10. Parker served three serves off the table and this allowed Robinson to go and win the title.

Updated: 11:04 Wednesday, February 04, 2004