Badminton by Angela Kelly MARKLAND Hill B put themselves in the B Section driving seat this week when they fended off the challenge by newly-promoted Park A.

Their home win over Park came as Leigh B stumbled in their promotion plans by losing 10-8 at home to Chowbent B.

But, Park have already made a good start to their B Section fixtures and, with Metro A looking another strong team and Leigh B on the immediate horizon, it's far too soon for Markland Hill to start making trophy plans.

In their latest clash, honours were certainly evenly shared with Park as the first three mixed sets were split. Then, Lesley Moss and Alan Edgley took both games in their second mixed set and Angela Brown and Colin Warburton added both theirs.

By the end of the mixed the home team were ahead 7-3 but facing the prospect of tough ladies' doubles from Park. In the event, Park's Nadine Francis and Barbara Nowell took the first game 15-2 before Glenys Pilkington and Lesley Moss fought back to take the second 15-11.

When Tony Mordaunt and Alan Edgley added both top men's, the points were decided. Second ladies went Park's way, but the final men's went comfortably to Markland Hill to give them a 12-6 victory.

The full Park team was: B Gillette, A Mistry, B Nowell, I Campbell, N Francis and M Poo.

Another team promoted this season is Mount St Joseph (formerly BHT) who went up from D Section. But they're finding C Section a tougher prospect and have still to notch up points.

They would certainly have been hoping to do well against Sharples A, who stayed in that section by the skin of their teeth, but on the night, things failed to go MSJ's way.

After Paul Thompson and Sandra Haworth took the opening game for the home team, Sharples came back to win the next three. Tony Waring and Kath Mason put MSJ back in the scoring frame with both third mixed.

But David Sheldon and Sylvia Cartwright then Frank Carr with Lisa Cartwright evened up the score with their sets to give Sharples a 7-3 lead going into the level doubles.

Top ladies went the visitors' way to guarantee them a point, but Paul Thompson and Tony Waring kept MSJ hopes alive with their top men's set.

When Kath Mason and Elaine Wooley took both second ladies for the home team, there was still the chance of their first point from a draw. But these hopes were dashed when Frank Carr and Craig Jones took both final men's 15-7,15-7 to give Sharples an 11-7 win and MSJ still fighting for points.

St John's A and Leigh C both won promotion from E Section last year, the former as champions with a four points' lead. So, St John's must have felt they had an edge when they entertained Leigh for their first D Section clash.

The opening game went straight to St John's, but Leigh took the second .... and then the next six games before St John's took two more mixed.

Leigh were now in a comfortable 7-3 position, but the strong St John's top ladies duo of Anne Roberts and Karen Cottam refused to give up. They took both top ladies before Dave Booker and Bernard Littlewood returned the score to Leigh with both top men's.

Anne Roberts and Sue Beamer kept up the fight for the home team by taking the first game in the second ladies' set, but Susan Kinsella and Helen Corbett put the match beyond St John's reach when they took the second game 15-3.

Dave Booker and Lee Greenhalgh added two more for Leigh for a 12-6 scoreline and two points, with St John's still looking for their first D Section victory.

Chowbent D and Farnworth B were both promoted from G Section, but Chowbent looked the stronger when they met at Withins Sports Centre.

The first three games soon went Chowbent's way before Georgina Ryding and Peter Ryding gave Farnworth their first win.

Julie Almond and Philip Almond continued the Farnworth games' tally, but Chris Travis with Ronnie Hunte then Janet Southern with Dave Travis gave Chowbent wins for a 7-3 lead after the mixed.

Top ladies were both split, but Ronnie Hunte and Simon Ball made no mistake about their top men's and ensured the match for Chowbent. Julie Almond and Linda Ogden took both second ladies for Farnworth but the final men's went Chowbent's way for a 12-6 win.

The young Forrest G team are going great guns in H Section, and confidence was high when they entertained Heaton at Lostock Leisure.

Paul Rodger and Stephanie Wignall opened the scoring for Forrest with 15-4, 15-6 wins. Then the next three sets were split before James Lonnen and Jeanine Parry took their second mixed set for Forrest.

Going into the level doubles, the score stood at 7-3 for the home team, but Vicky Johnson and Lilian Croston immediately came back with top ladies for Heaton.

Top men's then went to Forrest for nine games and a certain point, and even good work by Linda Schofield and Lilian Croston to take second ladies for Heaton couldn't make enough difference. When the final two games of the evening went to Forrest, they had notched up an 11-7 win.

Two more good young prospects for the future added a further good performance to their credentials when 11 years-old Lowton twins Laura and Lydia Wolstenholme went to the Leicester under-12 doubles' championship.

The two Greater Manchester county players won their way through impressive competition from all over the country to reach the final, only to lose to a Surrey duo. RESULTS - C SECTION: Christ Church B 8, GMT A 10; Westhoughton B 10, Mount St Joseph's 8; Bolton SC 8, Westhoughton A 10; Thornleigh C 10, Bolton SC 8; Mount St Joseph's 7, Sharples A 11; Hawkshaw C 9, Christ Church B 9.

D SECTION: Park B 15, Sharples B 3; Forrest D 13, St John's A 5; St John's A 6, Leigh C 12; Sharples B 5, Forrest D 13; Park C 5, Metro B 13; Farnworth A 17, Thornleigh D 1.

E SECTION: Chowbent C 10, Smithills A 8; Christ Church C 16, Walmsley B 2; Smithills A 13, BASS C 5; Forrest F 6, Chowbent C 12.

F SECTION: Metro C 18, Markland Hill E 0; Chowbent D 12, Farnworth B 6; Metro D 10, Thornleigh E 8.

G SECTION: St John's B 11, BASS D 7; BASS D 8, Metro E 10; Deane C 14, Park D 4; Farnworth C 3, Sharples C 15; BIT B 18, Holy Cross A 0.

H SECTION: Sharples D 17, Farnworth D 1; Metro F 18, Markland Hill F 0; Holy Cross B 5, Smithills B 13; Forrest G 11, Heaton 7; Heaton 7, Thornleigh F 11; Farnworth D 11, Thornleigh F 7.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.