HAWKSHAW C took Markland Hill C to the final game before being denied their first point of the season in the Bolton Badminton League.

The A Section's bottom club have now lost all eight of their league games this season, but were always in with a chance of breaking that sequence against the team three places above them.

But two wins for Markland Hill's Paul Webber and Andrew Rodger in last pair of men’s games clinched a second league victory in seven matches for Markland Hill.

Home side Hawkshaw got off to a good start when Elaine Wooley and Cameron Holt, playing first, won the opening games 22-20, 21-14 against Cecilia and Andrew Rodger.

Seventh-placed Markland Hill then won the following four games to get a foothold in the match.

Sue Webber and David Saunders won 21-8, 21-7 against Hawkshaw’s second couple, Jayne Mackay and Andy McManus.

Markland Hill’s third pairing of Kath Spillane and Paul Webber also won their games comfortably, 21-10, 21-9, against Ann Connors and David Holt.

When the first couples met they shared their games, Hawkshaw’s Wooley and Holt winning the first 21-12 and Webber and Saunders taking the second with a close-fought 25-23.

The Markland Hill lead was extended to 7-3 when Cecilia and Andrew Rodger beat Jayne Makin and Andy McManus 21-12, 21-9.

Hawkshaw’s Connors and Wooley then won the first pair of ladies’ games, both 21-16, against Spillane and Webber to narrow the deficit to 7-5.

The first pair of men’s games was shared with Markland Hill’s Webber and Saunders winning the first 21-14 and Holt and Holt claiming the second 21-18.

The second pair of ladies’ games was also shared with Spillane and Rodger claiming the first 21-19 and Hawkshaw’s Connors and Mackey the second 21-15.

It was down to the last pair of men’s games to decide whether it would be a draw or a win for Markland Hill and a determined Webber and Rodger won the games 21-14 against Holt and McManus to seal an 11-7 victory.