THERE was no separating Markland Hill D and Deane A as they fought out a draw in B Section of the Bolton Badminton League.

There is only one point between fifth-placed Markland Hill and Deane one place behind, and the match went all the way to the final game.

First on for hosts Markland Hill, Sylvia Gill and Brad Gibson beat Jean Smith and Mike Woods 21-19 in their first game before the Deane couple hit back 21-18 in the second.

Deane’s first couple, Janice Jackson and Rob Brocklehurst, then beat Angela Brown and Scott Gibson 21-16 before the latter ensured a share of the points with a 21-19 win in the second.

Allen Powell and Alison Gibson edged Markland Hill ahead in the match when they narrowly beat Sam Robertson and Brian Strickland 21-17, 21-19.

But Deane hit straight back to level the scores when Jackson and Brocklehurst kept their nerve to win 21-19, 22-20 against Gill and Brad Gibson in the first couples.

And the momentum remained with Deane when Smith and Woods beat Brown and Scott Gibson 21-16, 21-16 to put their team 6-4 in front.

The lead was extended to three points when Robertson and Jackson won the first of their ladies’ games 21-19 before Gill and Gibson ended Markland's mini losing run by taking the second 21-19.

And the first pair of men’s games was also shared when Deane’s Strickland and Brocklehurst won 21-8 and Markland's Powell and Brad Gibson took the second 21-12.

Gibson and Brown levelled the score at 8-8 when when they won comfortably 21-11, 21-14 against Robertson and Smith.

Deane restored their lead when Strickland and Woods won the first of the final men’s game 21-17 only for Powell and Scott Gibson to claim the last game of the match 21-9.