Week 14 News

Deane A just need to keep their nerve to gift themselves A Section play in the Bolton Badminton League next season.

Just denied promotion from B Section last season, they are currently a solid second in this section behind runaway leaders DL Farnworth A and handed out a 14-4 defeat to DL Farnworth B in their latest fixture.

A mixture of youth and experience helped them to an early start, in spite of dogged persistence from Farnworth’s second mixed couple Irene Crompton and Ajith Babu  and top couple Lynda Marney and Andrew Clarke.

However, Deane went into the men’s and ladies with a commanding 7-3 lead and immediately guaranteed at least one point when Bharti Bhudia and Teresa Gough took both top ladies’ games before the team cruised to ultimate victory.

Forrest D cemented their lead at the top of C Section by fending off the challenge of third-placed DL Farnworth C – but they certainly didn’t have it all their own way.

The opening set was shared before Forrest’s top couple Gerry Carter and Ian Winrow took both their games. Further split games underlined the initial closeness of the sides, but Forrest’s second couple Pratibha Patel and Mark Allan nudged Forrest into a 6-4 lead with their final mixed games.

Forrest capitalised on this with both top ladies’ games, courtesy of Gerry Carter and Georgina King, but Farnworth came back when Jason Horsfall and Ajith Babu took both top men’s.

Now, Farnworth needed to take all the remaining games to snatch a win, but Forrest had other plans. They swept the board for a 12-6 win, to extend their unbeaten run.

GMT and Deane B are also pushing for promotion in the top half of C Section so their clash at GMT was pivotal.

The evening proved to be a classic nail-biter with sets either shared or close – and the battle of the No.1 couples went to an unprecedented 30-29 in the first game! Home second couple Gail Bygrave and Paul Barnes, however, managed both their final mixed to give GMT a slender 6-4 advantage going into the men’s and ladies’ games.

Deane immediately pulled this back with both top ladies, then added both top men’s.

When GMT’s second ladies’ pairing Gail Bygrave and Andrea McCabe won both their games, the points hinged on the final men’s set. Paul Barnes and Dave Fallows put up a tremendous fight but Kanti Mistry and Pravin Pindolia triumphed 17 and 13 to give Deane both points from an exciting 8-10 victory.