THE Bolton Badminton League A Section showdown between leaders Markland Hill and third-placed Oakgate A finished with honours even.
A first draw for both sides left Markland Hill still two points above their opponents with the same number of games played and Hawkshaw A in between them having played a game more.
Home side Oakgate’s first pair, Anna Wiza and Ali Choudhary, drew first blood with 21-8 and 21-18 victories over Tracy Walker and Paul Hope.
Markland Hill’s first couple, Ruth Flatman and Liam Walsh hit straight back by claiming the second pair of games, 21-15, 21-15, against Helen Woodburn and Sameer Kahari.
The third couples’ games were shared, Markland Hill’s Wendy Higson and Albert Mahoney claiming the first 21-15, and Laura Woodburn and Iqy Khan the second 21-18.
When the first couples met, Oakgate’s Wiza and Choudhary comfortably claimed both games, 21-9, 21-16, against Flatman and Walsh.
It was Markland Hill’s turn to win two when Walker and Hope won the second couples’ clash 21-15, 21-18 against Woodburn and Kahari.
Going into the level doubles the match was all square at 5-5 and Oakgate edged ahead when Woodburn and Wiza won the first pair of ladies’ games 21-11, 25-23 against Higson and Flatman.
Oakgate stretched further ahead to 9-5 when Khan and Choudhary won the first pair of men’s games 21-14, 21-18 against Mahoney and Walsh.
The pressure was on Markland Hill who showed their quality by winning the last four games to claim a draw.
Higson and Walker took the second pair of ladies’ games 21-10, 21-19 against the Woodburn sisters, and Mahoney and Hope claimed the final pair of men’s games 21-17 and a nail-biting 22-20 against Khan and Kahari.
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D Section also saw a draw between fourth-placed Moorside D and Metro B who occupy fifth two points behind their opponents having played a game more.
Moorside's Judith Parker and Muhayud-Dean Miza won the opening games 21-13, 21-15 against Delai Topping and Peter Holden.
Metro’s first couple, Carole Lanham and Paul Topping, reciprocated with 21-16, 21-8 wins against Sylvia Cockram and Graham Culf in the next game.
When the third couples met, Metro’s Sue Jameson and Peter Rushton claimed the first 23-21 and Moorside’s Rhian Vickers and Ken McMahon took the second 21-16.
The first couples also shared their games, Metro’s Lanham and Topping winning the first 21-15 and Parker and Miza taking the second 21-16.
When the second couples’ played, Metro’s Topping and Holden claimed both games 21-11, 21-17 against Cockram and Culf.
At the conclusion of the mixed games Metro were ahead 6-4 and the two-point gap was maintained after the first pair of ladies’ games when Moorside’s Vickers and Parker claimed the first 21-16 and Jameson and Lanham took the second 21-17.
Moorside’s McMahon and Miza produced a determined fightback to take the first pair of men’s games 21-15, 21-12 against Rushton and Topping.
Going into the second pair of ladies’ games, the score was level at 7-7 and Moorside’s Vickers and Cockram went ahead with 21-11, 21-19 wins against Jameson and Topping.
Metro were not to be denied, however, and Rushton and Holden earned a draw with comfortable 21-4, 21-10 wins again McMahon in the final men's games.
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