FEW singles matches were played in the BSF Tennis Championships on Saturday, but South College based Andrew Riley, the number four seed, took time to settle down against Walmer's Adam Worsley, before running out a 6-3, 6-1 winner.

Former girls' title holder, Rachel Branagan from the Hawkshaw base, proved herself in the ladies singles with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Jackie Cooke of Lostock.

However, the most exciting matches took place in the handicap events, which have always been popular with the grass-roots club players.

In the men's doubles first round, Lostock's Lindsey Grimes and Michael Hermida playing off -O.3 overcame Peter Smith and Ian Roscoe (-15.3) in the last game 4-6, 6-5, 6-5, while Markland Hill's Pete Hackin and Tony Walsh (-15) completed an unfinished match from the previous evening with a 5-6, 6-2, 6-5 win over Halliwell Road's John Smith and Karl Speakman scr.

All of the first round ladies doubles went to 6-5 in the third set. Longsight's Bev Gregory and Christina Millington (-15.3) beat Hawkshaw's mother and daughter combination of Pauline and Helen Teasdale (-15) 2-6, 6-1, 6-5. Margaret Poyner and Judith Hancock (-0.3), a Markland Hill/Walkers combination, beat Lostock's Sarah Cowell and Rachel Bedford (-15) 6-4, 4-6,-6-5, while their club-mates Ann Lindsay and Rosie Howell (-0.3) beat Walker's mother and daughter combination of Barbara Edge and Karen Kay (-15) 2-6, 6-4, 6-5.

However, probably the most entertaining match of the afternoon took place on Court Three, where Halliwell Road's Duncan McDermott and Peter Carroll playing off -15 were up against Richard Massey and Andrew Hibbert, who share their allegiences between Harwood CC and Longsight Meths. There were many good shots before Dunc and Pete ran out 5-6, 6-2, 6-5 winners.

Tonight's play begins at 6pm.

Handicap mixed doubles first round -- E Edgington/J Walsh (-15) bt J Lever/W Birchall (scr) 6-1, 6-3; D Roscoe/L Tetik (-15) be L Grimes/L Taylor (-0.3) 6-3, 6-2; D Thompson/K Hunt (scr) bt D Bedford/R Howell (-0.3) 6-5, 3-6, 6-4; A Hibbert/G Entwistle (-15) bt I Westmoreland/S Cowell (-15) 6-3, 6-5; S McClelland/B Roscoe (-15) bt M Williams/J Sayner (-0.3) 6-4, 6-3; B Kirkbright/J Hancock (-0.3) bt I & C Hantopp (-15) 6-2, 6-2; P Haslam/C Millington (-15) bt A & K Taylor (-0.3) 6-3, 6-1; N Hinnighan/S Nightingale (-30.3) bt L Morley/J Biggins (-15.3) 6-4, 1-6, 6-5; P Hackin/J Pike (-30) bt D Ball/R Dennard (-15.3) 6-1, 60-4.

Second round -- B Millington/S Prendergast (-15) bt D Aruvee/J Crompton (-15.3) 1-6, 6-5, 6-2.

Men's singles first round -- A Riley bt A Worsley 6-3, 6-1

Boy's singles first round -- C Nutter bt C Gregory 6-0, 6-0.

Boy's doubles first round -- J Nutter/R Nixon bt J Fildes/N Wolstencroft 6-1, 7-6; P & M Evans bt R Spackman/R Simpson 6-1, 6-0; J Whittle/P Sutherland bt L Thorley/D McGuinness 6-3, 6-2.

Handicap ladies doubles first round -- B Gregory/C Millington (-15.3) bt P & H Teasdale (-15) 2-6, 6-1, 6-5; M Poyner/J Hancock (-0.3) bt S Cowell/R Bedford (-15) 6-4, 4-6, 6-5; A Lindsay/R Howell (-0.3) bt K Kay/B Edge (-15) 2-6, 6-4, 6-5.

Handicap Ladies Doubles Second Round -- J Clayton/K Pike (-0.3) bt L Thomas/A Mooney (scr) 6-2, 6-5; J Crompton/P Taylor (-15) bt E Conn/J Sayner (scr) 6-0, 6-3.

Handicap men's doubles first round -- P Haslam/B Millington (-15.3) bt D Aruvee/D Ball (-15) 6-2, 6-1; L Grimes/M Hermida (-0.3) bt P Smith/I Roscoe (-15.3) 4-6, 6-5, 6-5; S Greenhalgh/B Kirkbright (-15.3) bt R & A Taylor (-0.3) 6-3, 6-2; P Lever/I Baron (-40) bt M Booth/S Handy (-15) 6-2, 6-54; I & J Nuttall (-15) bt S & T Mataciunas (-0.3) w/o; P Hackin/T Walsh (-30) bt J S Smith/K Speakman (scr) 6-1, 5-6, 6-2.

Handicap men's doubles second round -- D McDermott/P Connoll (-15) be R Massey/A Hibbert (-15.3) 5-6, 6-2, 6-5.

Ladies singles first round -- R Branagon bt J Cooke 6-4, 6-2.

Junior mixed doubles first round -- P Evans/L Cunningham bt T & D Silvester 6-2, 6-1.

Junior mixed doubles second round -- C & N Ullathorne bt V Makin/C Farnworth 6-0, 6-0; J & B Lamprey bt S Annfield/N Settle 6-1, 6-1.

Men's doubles first round -- A Riley/S Holloway bt G Ainscough/P Lonnen 6-1, 6-4.

Men's doubles second round -- M Bromley/D Buckley bt J Nutter/R Lane 6-1, 6-3; N Hinninghan/R Worth bt M & A Davies 6-4, 6-3.

Mixed doubles first round -- N Haydock/V Boon bt P Conway/J Cooke 6-1, 6-3; D Buckley/R Dennard bt G Edgington/J Walsh 6-1, 6-2.

Girl's doubles second round -- C Hantopp/N Settle bt N Hitchon/V Makin 7-6, 6-2; L & L Taylor bt S Robertson/A Settle 6-1, 6-3; V Judge/K Penanski bt D & E Scannell 6-1, 6-4.

Handicap veterans men's double first round -- R McEwing/R Latham bt J S Smith/C Cartwright 6-4, 6-2.

Handicap veterans mixed doubles first round -- A Prince/A Settle (-15.3) bt G Chesters/J Pendlebury (-15) 6-5, 6-2.