GMT lead the way

They are early leaders in C Section, just a single point ahead of nearest rivals Metro B, with D L Farnworth A breathing down both their necks at third place but with a match in hand.

GMT certainly showed Metro that they mean business when the two clashed at the former's Eccles's base. They beat Metro 13-5. Now, the early top spot may well hinge on GMT's encounter with Farnworth in a few weeks -- although a big home advantage may well work well in GMT's favour on this occasion.

Westhoughton B and Hawkshaw C are also in the top half of C Section and well in the reckoning. So, their clash at Westhoughton was always going to be interesting.

The visitors struck first, with S Forshaw and F Carr taking the first two games 15-8, 15-9 before Westhoughton split the next two games.

Third mixed Gaynor Parry and John Brindle took both their games for Westhoughton, and, with the remaining four mixed split, this made enough difference to give the home side a 6-4 lead at the change.

E Holden and C Lanham took both top ladies to keep Hawkshaw in the hunt. But, when both top men's and second ladies were shared, the match rested on the final men's games of the night.

Elwyn Holt and John Brindle took the pressure well, taking the first game 15-4 and the second 15-5 for a narrow 10-8 win for Westhoughton.

Westhoughton C missed out on promotion last season by just a handful of points. But this year, they have their sights firmly set on C Section badminton.

They are currently hanging on to top spot in this section, on the same points as Markland Hill D but with a single game advantage.

Westhoughton beat off Metro C in a useful 10-8 away win, and Markland Hill kept contenders GMT B at bay with a 12-6 victory.

Smithills A are in third place, but the Section is obviously going to be hotly contested throughout, as their clash with Deane A showed.

With only one point achieved so far, Deane must have been hoping for their first win of the season when they wento to Smithills' Canon Slade centre home. But, the first two games went to the home side, thanks to Lesley Bretherton and Neville Walmsley.

Deane's strong top pairing of Anna Anderson and Bernie Ryan, however, came back straight away with their mixed set for level pegging.

The mixed see-sawed throughout, but Roberta Snape and Andy Massey's two final games for Deane put the visitors 6-4 ahead going into the men's and ladies'.

Top ladies was shared, but both top men's went to Smithills, courtesy of Neville Walmsley and Clive Bass.

When second ladies was split, Deane had kept their advantage and guaranteed themselves a single point from nine games.

But, they needed just one of the final men's games to win, and Mark Radcliffe and Clive Bass were determined not to let them.

In spite of some sterling work from Andy Massey and Nilesh Bhudia, the Smithills pair took the final two games 15-11, 15-12 to force a draw from an exciting encounter.

Moorside A already looks like a good bet for the E Section title. They have maximum points from their fixtures so far, only 13 games scored against them, and demolished their latest victims Westhoughton D 16-2.

Hawkshaw D and Metro D pose the nearest threat, with Forrest D the former's latest victims in a 13-5 win and Forrest E just losing out to Metro 8-10.

But, below Moorside, this looks like being a very open section. When mid-table Deane B met with second to the botto Sharples D, a close match ensued .... eventually.

Certainly, Sharples must have thought they had the match in the bag when they restricted Deane to a single game in the mixed to emerge 9-1 leaders at the change.

Deane, however, are a gutsy side, with their strength in their men's and ladies. And they did not allow the visitors take a single game after this -- forcing them to share the points in a draw!

Markland Hill F are keeping Moorside B away from the No.1 spot in F Section by just one game, and Moorside C are also pushing the top two here, with Deane C waiting in the wings.