Week 11 News

Determined Deane A just missed promotion to the League’s top-flight last season but are currently on course for A Section badminton.

They’re comfortably behind B Section leaders DL Farnworth A, just a point away and with a match in hand over the leaders, and shrugging off promotion wannabes.

Markland Hill D were the latest victims when Deane visited the Heaton tennis club minus one lady. Having to concede all six second ladies’ games, however, spurred on the visitors who took five of the remaining mixed games to keep themselves in the match.

Deane’s remaining ladies – Teresa Gough and Bharthi Bhudia – proved their strength in the ladies by taking both games. The men responded to this lead with their two to ensure at least one point for Deane going into the final men’s set.

Markland Hill teens Jamie Booth and Stefan Halsall took the first game to 19, but the experience of Mike Wood and Brian Strickland told in the last game of the night. They won it to 14 to give Deane two points from a bravely fought fixture.

Markland Hill A currently lead A Section in a neck-and-neck fight with Bury, with Hawkshaw A still in contention three points adrift of the leaders but one point ahead of Forrest A.

So when Hawkshaw and Forrest clashed, it was always going to be an exciting evening’s badminton. June Lord and Matt Green started well for Hawkshaw with both their opening mixed games before Forrest top couple Christine Seddon and W Wiseman took both theirs.

Hawkshaw edged into a 6-4 lead after the mixed before sharing the top ladies’ set. Matt Green and Scott Heywood added two more for  Hawkshaw, and when Jenny Roy and Claire Edmondon took the first of the second ladies’ games, Hawkshaw had 10 games and both points.

The final two men’s also went to Hawkshaw for a 12-6 result, Forrest’s misery compounded when stalwart Ron Welsh suffered an injury in the last game of the night.

Farnworth C have their fingers crossed for promotion from C Section and are currently second behind high-fliers Forrest D. They nearly suffered a real upset, however, when they went to Bolton Arena to play Forrest F who are at the bottom of the section.

The visitors took the first three games before Forrest won one, sparking a plucky fightback. Farnworth were 6-4 ahead going into the men’s and ladies’ games and, after sharing top ladies’, took both top men’s

However, Brenda Shott and Lindsay Tait for Forrest won both second ladies’ games, and when Paul Skivington and Andy Worthington added a second men’s game the scores were 9-7 to Farnworth.

Jason Horsfall and Raj Kurian dug in to wrap up the match with the final game to 21 to give Farnworth a 10-8 victory and two points from a lucky escape.