Newham's Ashley Facey Thompson and partner Joshua Stacey overcame Rio 2016 Paralympic silver medallists Spain to reach the quarter-finals of the men’s class 9-10 team event in Tokyo.

Unlike the singles tournament which began with round-robin groups the team events are knockout rounds from the beginning.

Facey Thompson and Stacey both achieved good wins in the men’s class 9 singles but they had a tough opening last-16 match in the team event against class 9 World and European bronze medallist Juan Perez Gonzalez and class 10 World number seven and former World champion Jose Manuel Ruiz Reyes.

The young British pair showed their huge potential as a team with a 3-0 win in the doubles and Stacey then took on the hugely experienced Perez Gonzalez, who had beaten him 3-0 in the European Championships in 2019.

The Spaniard took the first 11-6 but Stacey came back to take the second 11-6 and was then edged out 14-12 in the third after which he needed treatment on his right foot from British Para table tennis team physio Morag Sheridan.

With his movement clearly hampered he was 8-2 down in the fourth and seemingly on his way to defeat but the young Welshman is brave as well as talented and he gradually worked his way back into the game and took it 12-10 to level the match.

He was always in control in the deciding game and took it 11-6 for a memorable 3-2 win to secure the tie for Great Britain 2-0.

“The problem was more my calf through my disability,” explained Stacey.

“Because we haven’t played an accumulative amount of matches with doubles and singles my leg just said no. So I had to find a different way to win because movement is usually my biggest asset and I had to really dig in.

“Mat (coach Mathew Kenny) and Ashley had both told me that heavy spin was a big factor in beating him so I just thought that every opportunity I got to attack I would go with heavy spin rather than power.

"I could see as it got a lot tighter in the fourth he was going to make those mistakes so the tactics from my team mate and coach got me over the line in that fourth set.

“This is definitely one of my best wins for the way it happened. I’ve lost to him the last two times I’ve played him so to manage to do it here with the slight issue I did have is definitely a good feeling.

"Special thanks to Morag for helping me during the game because I don’t think I would have been able to finish it without her and she was a massive help”

“I just want to say I’m proud of our first major match together in doubles and we took a win,” said Facey Thompson. “We’re very good together as a doubles pair – we counteract each other’s flaws on the table.

"What I’m not good at he is good at and what he is not good at I’m good at, so we do really help each other.

"My receive wasn’t so great but I know what to do next time and I’m proud of how he came through the singles – mentally he did so well.”

Stacey and Facey Thompson face China in the quarter-finals at 6pm on Tuesday and are relishing the challenge.

“We are dangerous in doubles and they are strong in singles but we are strong as well,” said Facey Thompson.

“We can do anything we put our minds to,” said Stacey. “I don’t think anyone is going to enjoy playing us so I’m looking forward to it.”