THERE was no separating Metro B and Forrest E in their Bolton Badminton League clash.

The mid-table pair fought out a 9-9 draw to maintain the one-point difference between them in C Section.

Metro, one place below their opponents in sixth, made a flying start when they won the first three games of the night relatively comfortably.

Their first couple, Naomi Haseldine and Mark Baldolk, won 21-15, 21-10 against Georgina King and Paul Davison and second couple Pauline Charnock and Steve Drinkwater continued the winning start with a 21-14 success in their first game before Forrest’s Elaine Powers and David Travis hit back with a 21-19 win in the second.

Forrest's third couple Lindsey Tait and Daniel Rice then levelled things up with 21-18, 21-17 wins against Jill Redmond and Patrick Redmond.

Metro were soon back in front when Haseldine and Baldock breezed to 21-8, 21-5 victories, but Forrest quickly reversed that result when King and Davison beat Charnock and Drinkwater 21-12, 21-14.

The match was finely balanced at 5-5 going into the level doubles when Redmond and Haseldine edged Metro in front by taking the first pair of ladies’ games 21-13, 21-15.

And they maintained their slight advantage when the first pair of men’s games were shared, Forrest’s Rice and Travis hanging on for a crucial nail-biting 24-22 victory in the first game before Redmond and Baldock took the second 21-16.

The second pair of ladies’ games were also shared when Metro's Redmond and Charnock took the first 21-13 and Tait and King won the second 21-15 to keep alive their team's hopes of taking something from the match.

And Rice and Davison ensured they did when they held their nerve to win the final pair of men’s games 21-18, 21-18.

Other results

Section A: Farnworth A 0 Markland Hill A 18.

Section B: Markland Hill C 17 Sharples B 1.