Smithills A just missed out on promotion from D Section last season -- but they're determined not to do that a second time!

They're currently in second position on 19 points, the latest two courtesy of a comprehensive home win against GMT B.

Lyn Butcher and David Wood got the ball rolling for Smithills with their opening mixed games, but GMT No.1 Andrea Beech and Paul Hawker signalled their intentions by splitting their first mixed set.

Lesley Bretherton and Lee Armstrong continued the home mixed scoring and Smithills ultimately had the best of the mixed to leave them a comfortable 8-1 ahead going into the men's and ladies' games.

The match was far from over, however. Andrea Beech and Rita McCartney fought back for the visitors to take both top ladies' games.

Top men's was split to leave Smithills with at least a point on nine games, but Trish Howitson and Lesley Bretherton left no room for doubt with both second ladies for Smithills.

The final men's set was shared, to give the home side a 12-6 win, and the chance to push for the D Section championship, one point away from Forrest C.

Springfields C are third here on 17 points, and GMT B are fourth on 16.

The two teams in the danger zone in C Section at the halfway stage each came away with a result when they clashed.

Park B were entertaining Markland Hill C, both teams at the foot of the Section, still without points, and with Westhoughton B just above them on six points.

Park took the opening set 15-6, 15-6, courtesy of Carol Kay and Andy Lowe, but Markland Hill split the next set, and then took the next four games. As the final two mixed went to Park, the score was at 5-5 and with all to play for.

Lynn Bolton and Kath Gorner took top ladies for Markland Hill .... but then Andy Lowe and Jack Hollinshead came back with top men's for Park!

When second ladies was shared, the result hinged on the final men's games. James Lonnen and Julian Baxendale took the first game 15-11to give the tennis club nine games and hopes of both match points.

Bernard Kay and Jack Hollinshead fought back for Park, however, to take the last game of the night 15-8 and force a draw, and a point apiece.

The David Lloy LC team is doing well in E Section, but came a cropper when they visited Hawkshaw D and were defeated by a combination of youth and experience.

Roger Haydock and A Gatherole set the right tone for the home team with their opening mixed games 15-7, 15-3, followed by Matthew Dunlop and Pam Holden's set.

Dave French and Gemma French stopped the rot for David Lloyd with both their third mixed games, but they couldn't prevent Hawkshaw being in a comfortable 8-2 lead going into the men's and ladies'.

Hawkshaw got the right result early with both top ladies to clinch two points from 10 games. Hank Mok and Dave French showed dogged resistance to take top men's for the visitors, but the rest of the games went Hawkshaw's way, ultimately for a useful 14-4 scoreline.

Forrest E earned two useful points with their home mixture against Smithills D in F Section. Forrest edged into the lead in the mixed to be 6-4 ahead at the halfway stage.

Top ladies' was shared, but top men's went convincingly to Forrest, thanks to Jim Clough and Chas Parry 15-5, 15-3. When both second ladies also went to Forrest, the match was won, with the final score 12-6.