Burnley youth table tennis champions - Philip (left), David and Arthur, who are still in with a good chance of clinching a national title.

Whisper the word "defeat" to any of the members of the Rosegrove Boys' Brigade table tennis team, and it is more than likely you will get a swift rebuke. For this season the 1st Burnley Brigade team entered two competitions, and has not yet been beaten. In the local competition, the Burnley Youth League organised for youth clubs, they won the title, dropping only one point all season, and they are in the last 32 of the national Boys' Brigade competition, the Steadfast Tournament. More than 250 teams entered the Steadfast Tournament, the Burnley boys beating sides from Manchester and Colne to win their way nearer the final. In the last round, which they played at Leeds last Wednesday, they won the match by nine games to nil. The sixth round tie, which will be played in Burnley, has to be completed before April 1st.

Philip Wharf aged 17 of Coal Clough Lane, Burnley is team captain, his cousin David Wharfe, aged 16 of Ridge Avenue and Arthur Harrison, aged 16 of Elm Street make up the rest of the team. They have played together for two years and entered Burnley Youth League, an under-18 competition, last year, but were too young to make much impact. This year has been a different story. In the 10 matches they have played against teams from Sandygate, Stoneyholme and Central Methodist Youth Clubs, the only point they dropped was the result of a drawn game with Sandygate. For the lads the most exciting match was the last one of the season against Stoneyholme YC, which won them the championship.