LAST week's talk of a final day shoot-out between Chorley and David Lloyd almost proved premature, when Sarah Bleakley's gang, missing Wendy Birchall, were almost gunned down by a Walkers B side consisting of Nigel Wright, Simon Jones and the Sweet girls.

In a match of high tension, David Lloyd were perhaps most indebted to Andrea Wallwork. She stepped in for Miss Birchall and her exuberant play complemented perfectly Levers' world weary near decadence on court. Ali Young also did well, his lightening speed seen in many a startled retreat to recover a gap created by Mrs Bleakley's over exposed attack.

No less nail-biting was the tied match between Egerton and Bolton School. Some long enthrallingly crafty rallies took place, especially in the opening set between Emma Foxall, Mike Foxall and Bolton's Jill Pyke and Chris Cotton. Mrs Pike dutifully ran into every corner of the court, responding to Cotton's commissioned officer authority. No unseemly pace marred the play, just chessboard cerebral exchanges with Mike Foxall in his element.

On the other court, rallies were briefer, the result perhaps of Glen Turner's athleticism and the continuing trenchant play of Anne Mooney, not least from her a series of imperious backhands. Not that they had it all their own way. Carol Gee's clubbing forehand and husband John's intimidatory net coverage keeping Egerton in the hunt. A nice match noticable perhaps for Chris Cotton's two and a half wins -- rolling back the years at pace!

Holcombe Brook B consolidated their high position in Division Three with a narrow win over Bolton School B. Steve Goddard used his hunched furiously focused get-the-ball-back play to good effect. Bev Geraga -- Holcombe's splendid skipper -- backed Goddard well in the mixed, especially in a telling 6-1 win. Julie Bannister to the spectator is light speed round the court, to her partner, she sets an exhausting near distressing example. This week her partner was your labouring correspondent, making his first appearance in Holcombe Brook's colours. Miss Bannister carried him to a couple of respectable scores.

Amid all these high-tension close matches a further tied match between Markland Hill B and Astley -- MGB and Harwood played a re-arranged match last Wednesday - which had all the seething passion of a Bournemouth tea dance. Diane Hammond occasionally interrupted the game's somnolent progress with some insensitively violent net play, but before long the smart money was on the match expiring of its own inertia well before its allotted finishing time.

Results: Division One: Markland Hill A 29 Holcombe Brook A 18; Longsight v Walmersley A wo.

Division Two: Harwood 36 HRM B 20; Markland Hill B 27 Astley 27; Walmersley B 28 MGB 23; Eagley 27 Bradshaw 15.

Division Three: Holcombe Brook B 29 Bolton School sC 27; Egerton 26 Bolton School A 26; David Lloyd 23 Walkers B 22.