BURY A have emerged as new favourites to be crowned champions after they upset title hopefuls Racketeers with a hard-fought 11-7 victory in A section this week.

Bury’s top mixed pairing of Nicki McGrath and Mark Tuttle started the match against Lindsay Greenwood and Andy Cooper.

McGrath and Tuttle took the opening game 22-20, however the visitors fought back to take the second 21-19.

Two more closely-fought games followed as Bury’s second pairing of Liz Holt and Darren Whitley beat Keith Cuncarr and Emma Greenwood 21-18, 24-22.

Following the mixed, Bury were leading 6-4 and they went on to claim all four ladies doubles.

The Racketeers men won three of the four men’s games with an impressive performance from Cuncarr and Edgar in the first men’s game, which they took 21-6 against top county players Tuttle and Hogg.

At the opposite end of A section, Markland Hill C faced Hawkshaw C in the relegation battle.

Hawkshaw won eight mixed games as the Heaton club got off to a shaky start. Hawkshaw’s Jean Eagan and Neil Haydock took the first game to 13 against Kate Partington and Darren Valentine, but the latter fought back to take the second game to 16.

At third mixed, Sally Howell and Alan Crow faced a tough task against Andy Newton and Linda Eccleston. Howell and Crow took the first game 21-19, but lost 21-16 in the second.

The second ladies doubles saw Howell, partnering Anne Hurst, pick up a few games for the home team as they beat Hawkshaw’s Eagan and Eccleston 22-20, 21-18. The second ladies also went the way of the home team as Howell and Partington won their games 21-18, 21-19.

Markland Hill’s Valentine and Crow claimed a convincing win against Matt Dunlop and Andy Newton winning 21-10 in the first, however narrowly losing the second game 21-19.

With an 11-7 victory, Hawkshaw now look safe from relegation, while Markland Hill’s C team are still without a piont.

In D section, second-placed Oakgate B faced third-placed Sharples C.

The two teams were both on equal points prior to the match, and following a 9-9 draw, they remained level pegging.

The match saw the visitors, Oakgate, win seven mixed games. However they were unable to continue this form in the levels, as Sharples staged a comeback by winning six to earn themselves a point.

Andy Woods and Sam Artingstall claimed the first men’s 21-11, 21-14 against Paul Thompson and Dave Harris, which followed another commanding performance by Artingstall and Peter Hartley to claim the final games 21-18, 21-17 against Iqbal Kahn and Harris.

Results and tables in Thursday's The Bolton News