WESTHOUGHTON D won the last game of the night to earn an impressive share of the points against high-flying Metro A in Section C.

With the match even, third-placed Metro's Jack Milner and David Smith edged their side ahead when they comfortably won the first of the final pair of men's games – the last clash of the night – 21-14.

But ninth-placed Westhoughton's Peter Nicolson and Brian Hutchinson hit back to take the second game 21-18 to give a 9-9 final scoreline.

Westhoughton’s second couple, Lisa Caton and Hutchinson, drew first blood on the evening when they beat Barbara Butterworth and Mike Horrocks 21-18.

But, in a sign of what was to come in a closely-fought match the Metro pair took the second by the same scoreline.

It was the same story when Metro's Carole Watts and Smith took on Westhoughton’s first couple, Gaynor Parry and Alan Green with the Metro pair winning the first 22-20 and the Westhoughton couple storming to a 21-7 victory in the second.

And when the the third couples met Westhoughton's Becky Grime and Nicolson won the first 21-12 and Metro’s Joanne Holden and Milner took the second 22-20.

There was no separating the two sides when the first couples met either, Butterworth and Horrocks taking the first 21-13 and Parry and Green the second 21-11.

One side finally edged ahead in the second couples' clash. And it was the lower placed side in the table who got the win when Caton and Hutchinson claimed both from Watts and Smith 21-14, 21-18.

Westhoughton had a 6-4 lead after the mixed games, but it was instantly taken away by Metro's Holden and Butterworth who won the first pair of ladies’ games 21-16, 21-15 against Grime and Parry.

The first pair of men’s games were shared, Milner and Horrocks taking the first 21-18 for Metro, and Nicolson and Green won the second 22-20.

The second pair of ladies games were also shared, Westhoughton’s Grime and Caton winning the first 21-12 and Holden and Watts taking the second 21-18 to set up the last-game showdown which, in the spirit of the night, was shared.

There was also no separating Moorside C and Smithills in Section D.

Another 9-9 draw, only this time it needed Moorside's Jamie Belton and Andrew Yates to win both the final men’s games to earn it.

Fourth-placed Smithills got their noses in front when Diane Hunt and Barry Hilton, playing second for Smithills, won the opening games 21-18, 21-15 against Judith Parker and Stephen Barton.

Moorside’s second couple, Pam Livesley and Yates, then won the first of their games against Lorraine Shepherd and Malcolm Rolfe 21-8 before the latter took the second 21-17.

The match then swung one way then the other. Moorside’s Laura Goff and Jamie Belton took the third couples' games 21-17, 21-16 against Diane Leigh and Tony Sames before Smithills’ Shepherd and Rolfe won their games against Parker and Barton 21-15, 21-11 and Moorside’s Livesley and Yates took the second couples' games 21-5, 21-10.

Going into the level doubles it was 5-5 and Leigh and Shepherd put Smithills ahead by winning both the first pair of ladies’ games 21-17.

Moorside’s men Belton and Barton put their side back in it with close 21-18, 21-19 victories before Smithills' edged back in front through Leigh and Hunt winning the second pair of ladies’ games against Goff and Livesley to set up the crunch last clash of the night in which Moorside’s Belton and Yates beat Sames and Yates 21-14, 21-18 in the men's games to achieve a well deserved draw for their side.

Other results

Section A: Hawkshaw A 18 Forrest B 0, Westhoughton A 16 Farnworth A 2.

Section B: Markland Hill D 15 Bolton Lads and Girls A 3, Park 10 Markland Hill C 8, Westhoughton C 7 Sharples A 11.