Badminton Scene by ANGELA KELLY CHOWBENT A have spent several seasons working towards that elusive A Section goal. Now, they plan on staying there.

And their first two matches have proved their determination. Chowbent were entertaining Hawkshaw A at their Withins Sports Centre home, and Ron Welsh and Paula Quayle managed to win the opening set 15-14, 15-13 to give the home team a good start.

Hawkshaw, however, immediately hit back to take the next two convincingly, and the match see-sawed through the mixed giving a 5-5 score going into the levels.

First ladies' games were shared, and the men's were also evenly matched to keep level-pegging. But, with four to play, Chowbent's two left-handers Alison Muddiman and Ros Taylor proved too strong for Hawkshaw's Sarah Haydock and Lee Rector, winning 15-5, 15-5.

Chowbent were now guaranteed at least one point, and when the last men's set also went Chowbent's way, they had an 11-7 win, with two points in the bank and a flying start to remaining in top flight badminton.

Playing for Chowbent were: Ron Welsh, Paula Quayle, Chris Carney, Ros Taylor, Alison Muddiman and Paul Taylor, and for Hawkshaw: Neil Haydock, Lee Rector, Derrick Moore, Grace Cadman, Jimmy Whitesmith and Sarah Haydock.

For their second match, Chowbent A chalked up two more points with a useful 12-6 win over Forrest B, who were promoted with them last season.

Markland Hill's B and C teams have made a good start to the new season in B Section. Both recorded positive wins from the first two matches. On current form, Leigh B looks like a strong contender for this Section title, hoping to emulate the positive start made by their A team, aided by last week's useful 13-5 win over contenders ABC.

Sharples A have hung on in C Section, in spite of finishing in the relegation zone last season. Now, instead, they are bidding for promotion. They beat Hawkshaw C - who narrowly missed promotion last season - with a useful 12-6 win at home. Elsewhere in the Section meanwhile, Westhoughton A had by far the better of BASS B in their home clash, with a 17-1 win.

Newly-promoted Leigh C are finding D Section a different matter. They lost 7-11 to Farnworth A who are keen to make up for just missing out on promotion last season by forging ahead this time.

Forrest E are showing equal determination in E Section where they recorded a 12-6 win over their F team, in spite of some spirited opposition.

Roland Orrell, partnering Anne Schofield, was in the odd position of facing his wife and son across the net! Family loyalties were put on the back burner, however, as Roland and Anne took the opening set 15-10, 15-10.

Andrew Roger with Julie Martindale and Chris Thorpe with Ann Seddon kept up the pressure for the E team before Sue Mellor and Geoff Pendlebury recorded the F team's only mixed success.

The score was 8-2 going into the levels, but Sue Mellor and Charlotte Brown initiated a fightback for the F team by taking top ladies, and Geoff Pendlebury and Steve Arnold added another men's.

Unfortunately for them, Ann Seddon and Julie Martindale settled the matter when they took both second ladies for the E team, and a further men's game boosted the score to 12-6 from an exciting inter-team fixture.

Matters were rather tighter in a clash in the same Section between Westhoughton C and Christ Church C. Kath Holt and Elwyn Holt took the opening games for Westhoughton but Chris Ball and Michelle Crook came back for Christ Church to immediately even the score, and this was the way it was throughout the mixed.

When Irene Hatfield and David Ellison took the final mixed set for Westhoughton, they pushed the home team into a 6-4 lead. Alison Saunders and Michelle Crook came back for Christ Church to take top ladies, then top men's went to Westhoughton.

When Val Marsden and Irene Hatfield took the first of the second ladies set, it looked like the home team could take both points. But plucky work by the visitors gave them the next three games, forcing a draw.

Playing for Westhoughton were: Kath Holt, Elwyn Holt, Irene Hatfield, David Ellison, Val Marsden, Frank Stec, and for Christ Church: Ross Standish, Judith Standish, Chris Ball, Michelle Crook, Yeap Chu Kim and Alison Saunders.

Players are reminded to get their entries in soon for the League's Championships, Plate Competitions and Veteran Tournament for over 40, 45 and 50 in October and early November. Entry forms are available from Club secretaries. A SECTION: ABC 5, Leigh A 13; Markland HIll A 6, Bury A 12; Forrest A 13, Forrest B 5.

B SECTION: Markland Hill C 13, Chowbent B 5; Thornleigh A 5, Park A 13; Hawkshaw B 13, Thornleigh B 5; Rosehill 1, Markland Hill B 17.

C SECTION: Westhoughton A 17, BASS B 1; BASS B 8, Thornleigh C 10; Sharples A 12, Hawkshaw C 6.

D SECTION: Metro B 11, Walmsley A 7; Leigh C 7, Farnworth A 11; Thornleigh D 5, Park C 13.

E SECTION: Forrest F 5, Bolton Institute A 13; Westhoughton C 9, Christ Church C 9; BASS C 7, Markland Hill D 11; Forrest E 12, Forrest F 6; Walmsley B 10, Westhoughton C 8.

F SECTION: Metro D 6, Farnworth B 12; Chowbent D 6, Metro C 12; Westhoughton D 11, Metro D 7; Christ Church D 8, Deane B 10; Markland Hill E 11, Chowbent D 7; Deane B 12, Thornleigh F 6.

G SECTION: BASS D 5, Deane C 13; BiT B 17, St John's B 1; GMT B 7, Sharples C 11; St John's B 3, Farnworth C 15; Sharples C 6, BIT B 12; Park D 15, BASS D 3; Holy Cross A 3, GMT B 15.

H SECTION: Sharples D 14, Holy Cross B 4; Markland Hill F 7, Heaton 11; Farnworth D 7, Thornleigh F 11; Metro G 8, Forrest G 10; Metro F 6, Markland Hill F 12; Heaton 6, Smithills C 12; Smithills B 6, Sharples D 12; Forrest G 11, Farnworth D 7; Smithills C 4, Metro F 14.

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