HOLMFIRTH D won an exciting Division III clash with Valley St James D on the last mixed match in the Huddersfield Badminton League.

They beat home team Valley St James D 5-4 thanks to the success of Dave Powell and Sarah Collins against Oliver Platt and Jayne Walker.

The Holmfirth No1 pairing won to 19 in both games.

Valley St James D 4 Holmfirth D 5

Men – (Valley names first): Oliver Platt & Steve Bricklebank lost to Dave Powell & Ken Boulton 18-21, 21-17, 17-21; Platt & Ian Holness lost to Powell & Lee Whitworth 12-21, 13-21; Bricklebank & Holness lost to Boulton & Whitworth 21-18,16-21, 14-21.

Ladies – Helen Fay & Jayne Walker beat Sharon Holleworth & Molly Holman-Sheard 21-18, 22-24, 21-8; Fay & Wendy Bok beat Holleworth & Sarah Collins 21-11, 21-18; Walker & Bok beat Holman-Sheard & Collins 22-20, 21-16.

Mixed – Platt & Walker lost to Powell & Collins 19-21,19-21; Bricklebank & Fay beat Boulton & Holleworth 21-11, 21-13; Holness & Bok lost to Whitworth & Holman-Sheard 13-21, 11-21.

In Division V, Royds Hall D travelled to Flying Feathers B and won 5-4 – although they had a helping hand.

Flying Feathers third lady Anne-Marie Gallagher failed to make the game as her car broke down en route, so they were already 3-0 down before a shuttle had been struck. With every game vital for the home team, captain Neil Coombes and Ian Stuart could not reduce the deficit, so Feathers were 4-0 down after one competitive game!

Fortunately, the only ladies game that was played was won by Flying Feathers with Chris Ford and Elaine Richardson scoring.

Coombes and Tony Nicholson then beat Holmes and Huw Rhydderch, but Nicholson and Stuart could not take the third mens, so Feathers had lost the match. But they did take both mixed.

Flying Feathers B 4 Royds Hall D 5

Men – (Feathers names first: Neil Coombes & Ian Stuart lost to Malcolm Holmes & Steve Bainbridge 20-22, 16-21; Coombes & Tony Nicholson beat Holmes & Huw Rhydderch 21-14, 22-20; Stuart & Nicholson lost to Bainbridge & Rhydderch 10-21, 23-25.

Ladies – Chris Ford & Elaine Richardson beat Diane Horton & Carolyn Walker 22-20, 21-18; Ford & Gallagher conceded to Diane Horton & Marjorie Shaw; Richardson & Gallagher conceded to Walker & Shaw.

Mixed – Coombes & Richardson beat Holmes & Walker 13-21, 21-11, 21-17; Nicholson & Ford beat Rhydderch & Horton 15-21, 21-11, 21-14.

In Division IV, Royds Hall C took a tight home clash against Fartown B 5-4.

Fartown had Mike Woodward and Merilyn Cato-Bedeau playing up in what was the first time the teams had met this season.

Royds Hall C 5 Fartown B 4

Men – (Royds Hall names first): Ian Carpenter & Les Newby lost to John Holmes & Joe Crossfield 19-21, 15-21; Carpenter & Peter Goldthorpe beat Homes & Mike Woodward 21-11, 17-21, 23-21; Newby & Goldthorpe beat Crossfield & Woodward 21-10, 21-13.

Ladies – Angela Branson & Helen Lambert lost to Melanie Hartley & Val Smith: 21-14, 18-21, 16-21; Branson & Sue Jessop lost to Hartley & Merilyn Cato-Bedeau 20-22, 12-21; Lambert & Jessop beat Smith & Cato-Bedeau 17-21, 21-13, 21-19.

Mixed – Carpenter & Branson beat Holmes & Smith 21-16, 21-17; Goldthorpe & Lambert lost to Crossfield & Hartley 14-21, 21-12, 19-21; Newby & Jessop beat Woodward & Cato-Bedeau 21-9, 21-13.