SHARPLES A played host to Westhoughton C in a top-of-the-table clash in the B Section of the Bolton Badminton League and came out on top.

The opening games were shared when leaders Westhoughton’s second couple Jackie Roberts and Shaun Chadwick won the first 21-19, and Amy Larcombe and Matt Duckworth, playing first for second-placed Sharples took the second 21-10.

Sharples’ second couple, Judith Stenson and Paul Bargh, then claimed both games against Kelly Anderson and Alister Morris, 21-19, 21-15.

When the third couples met they shared the games, Sharples’ Alison Saunders and Gareth Fairclough took the first 21-19, and Lauren Muddiman and Adam Carney claimed the second 21-17.

In the clash of the first couples, Westhoughton’s Anderson and Morris claimed both games 21-14, 21-19, against Larcombe and Duckworth. Sharples’ Stenson and Bargh then won both games 21-11, 2115, against Roberts and Chadwick.

At the conclusion of the mixed games, Sharples were ahead 6-4.

The first pair of ladies’ games was shared – Saunders and Larcombe took the first for Sharples 23-21 and Muddiman and Anderson won the second 23-21.

Sharples claimed the first pair of men’s games, Fairclough and Duckworth beating Carney and Morris 21-17, 21-19.

Westhoughton’s determined Muddiman and Roberts then claimed the second pair of ladies’ games 23-21, 24-22.

The score was 9-8 to Sharples going into the final two games, and Fairclough and Bargh proved too strong in the first, winning 21-11 against Carney and Chadwick to claim the match.

Westhoughton then took the second 21-19, which meant a win of 10-8 for Sharples.

In C Section, fourth-placed Sharples C hosted Westhoughton E, who sit eighth.

Eileen Beeney and Adrian Smith, Sharples’ first couple, won the opening games 21-16, 21-11, against Westhoughton’s second couple, Louise Vernon and Frank Stec.

Marian Anderson and Jamie Nuttall shared their games, holding their nerve in the first they won 22-20, but Chloe and Geoff Everitt hit back in the second to win 21-11.

Westhoughton’s Karen Hodgin and Andrew Nowell then hit back claiming two very close games 21-18, 21-19, against Ailar Afshari and Nathan Reddie in the third couples’ set.

In the clash of the first couples Sharples’ Beeney and Smith dominated winning both games comfortably 21-10, 21-11, against Everitt and Everitt.

The games between the second couples were shared, Sharples’ Anderson and Nuttall winning the first 21-10, and Vernon and Stec taking the second 21-7.

Afshari and Beeney then claimed the first pair of ladies’ games 21-17, 21-15, against Hodgin and Everitt.

The first pair of men’s games was shared, Westhoughton’s Nowell and Everitt claiming the first 21-10 and Peddie and Smith taking the second 21-13.

The second pair of ladies’ games was shared Afshari and Anderson winning the first 21-18, securing the win for Sharples but Hodgin and Vernon took the second, another close game 21-19.

In another shared pair of games Sharples’ Peddie and Nuttall claimed the first 21-17, before Nowell and Stec won a comfortable second game 21-8 but the final score was 11-7 in Sharples’ favour.