Return of heavy backspin from server

Hi Tom / Dan In a recent match against a team who are the second top team in our league and are strong players. Having won the first 2 games in the set comfortably, my opponent caught on to the fact that my heavy backspin returns from his short backspin/sidespin serves almost always landed in the middle of his side of the table. it was easy for him to sidestep to execute a fast forehand topspin on the third ball which he did with great consistency, the ball landing within approximately a foot or less on the backhand corner of my side of the table. I lost narrowly in the 5th game. I was given some advice after the game that I should have returned his service with a short push with no spin which would prevent him using his strong forhand spin attack on the third ball.  My team mate used this technique against the same opponent later in the match and the return from his no-spin push was high enough for him to win the point with a forehand or backhand topspin drive. I wondered what you would have advised to do and what angle of the bat was best to use for a short push against heavy backspin?