A BIZARRE weekend when the meek -- or some of them -- inherited the glory and the apparently strong tasted the salty tears of defeat.

Walkers A, for instance surrendered their unbeaten record to the hot breath of pursuers Longsight -- Walkers 3 up with 2 to play but undone by a resounding win for Yvonne Lancaster-Hunt and the globetrotting, aptly tanned Kelly Grant.

Walmersley B's Division Two ambitions lie in intensive care after a surprise mugging by the hitherto seven-stone weaklings from Harwood, newly-muscled and recording a second successive victory. No coincidence, surely, that this turnaround coincides with the (distinctly un-muscular) appearance of Kate Whittle: cool and resourceful under pressure, moving remorselessly to the forecourt to display her volleying skills, she carted Richard Massey to a match-turning win.

Walmersley A by contrast had a comfortable win over Walkers C, although the latter had their moments. In particular, Barbara Millington was to be seen in cat-like net coverage one moment, the next commanding the baseline and forcing an apparently perplexed Dave Gerrard to play at her own pace.

Egerton ended an unhappy streak when they saw off a challenge from Holcombe Brook B despite the fleet-footed efforts of Julie Bannister and the "last croak" retrieving of Steve Goddard. Egerton's heroes were Carol Gee and Malcolm Adamson, winners of both their mixed sets.

Misery remains unconfined for Markland Hill B. With leader "AP", to use a sports media euphemism, "rested" perhaps, Kate Nightingale partnered first Alistair Henderson, then jack-in-a-box Jo Crompton to victory but not sufficiently to compensate for the on court GBH of Howard Ryding and the rest of HRM Bs ruffians. Distinctly more refined and genteel, HRM A also won against Winter Hill but to the latter's men, the supremely synchronized, classically co-ordinated pairing of Perks and Taylor went the achievement of splattering McDermott and Hunt. Are the likely lads on the slide? Good to see Chris Cotton back -- and winning a set.

A pleasing juxtaposition of scores in the Astley/Eagley match: 11-0 for Eagley's men; 11-0 for Astley's ladies -- it was left to Andrew Westmoreland and Hannah Wilson's 4-0 mixed win to see Astley home.

Results

Division One -- Monton 28, Allsorts 26; Walmersley A 40, Walkers C 15; Longsight 29, Walkers 25.

Division Two -- Astley 25, Eagley 24; Harwood 29, Walmersley B 22; HRM 27, Markland Hill B 22; HRM A 33, Winter Hill 22.

Division Three -- Egerton 33, Holcombe Brook B 23; Bolton School A 34, Guild Hall 21; Bolton School C 31, Bolton School B 19.