CUP matches in the Bolton League brought early Christmas presents for a number of teams.

With handicaps only revealed at the end of the match, every point is valuable, and in the Robert Cup, holders DL Farnworth D faced tough opposition in the form of Sharples D, who eventually won the match 379-319.

In the mixed, Farnworth’s Jo Willman and Dave Forrester picked up a well-earned 18 and 19 points against Sharples’ second couple Pauline Teesdale and John Pimblett. In the men’s, Forrester and Chris Alcock battled to take 19 and 20 points from Nick Hitchen and Dave Fairclough. Despite some close games and high scoring, Sharples were able to overcome the handicap to knock out the holders.

Bolton Lads & Girls A, currently sixth in E section, got the better of Oakgate B who are currently third in D Section.

BLGC showed they meant business from the start with their first couple, Kate Lewis and Rajan Patel, picking up 19 points in their first game against Janet McKiney and Ron Wood.

In the second game, Lewis and Patel were able to reverse the scores to win 21-19. In the second mixed games, Faye Ingram and Matt Blinkhorn claimed their first game to 18 over McKiney and Wood, but the visitors battled back to win the second 21-16. Although Oakgate went on to produce some good scores in the levels, BLGC were able to notch up the points and with the added handicap they won the match 423-373.

Another match in the Robert Cup consisting of two teams mid-table in E section typically reflected the close nature of the cup as Moorside D took on Metro D.

When the two teams met recently in the league, Metro were 12-6 winners and Metro’s Pauline Charnock and Steven Drinkwater started on form taking the first games against the home side’s first couple Rhian Vickers and Matt Barton 21-15, 21-12.

Going into the levels the scores were almost equal with both teams winning five games each. But here, there were closer games as both sets of ladies doubles were halved with similar scores. In the final games of the night, Moorside’s Matt Barton and Luke Murray showed that each point counted as they finished the match winning 21-5, 21-9. When the handicap was revealed, Moorside added 50 to their score of 326, winning the match 376-309.

In the Jane Fletcher Memorial Cup, visitors Park — currently lying third in B section — got the better of an experienced Markland Hill A.

In the first mixed games, Tina Boyes and Michael Poo snatched a 24-22 win from Markland Hill’s first couple, Julie Lowe and Ian Waters. Boyes and Poo claimed more valuable points in the battle of the second couples, scoring 23 and 11 points against Kath Wain-Mahoney and Chirs Taylor.

At the end of the match, the handicap was revealed in Park’s favour and they progress to the next round — to face Markland Hill’s C team.

Members of the Bolton Badminton League Committee presented retiring chairman Pauline Reddy with a Gerry Halpin painting.

Miss Reddy had worked selflessly for over 40 years to support badminton in Bolton and the Lancashire County Badminton Association.

The committee thanked her for the time and effort she had given to the sport over the years and for the stability she brought to the League.