Valley St James have taken the Huddersfield & District Badminton League Division I title for the 11th consecutive time – but by the closest of margins.

Kirkburton, runners-up now for five of those 11 seasons, had to win their head-to-head clash 5-4 to secure the crown, however they were beaten to the post losing by that scoreline in a thrilling winner-takes-all match.

Looking at the league tables, it could be said that the season was a two-horse race all the way, with VSJ and Kirkburton winning all their matches convincingly.

Third-placed St Cuthberts finished 43 points behind Kirkburton.

Every game was closely fought, as you would expect with the league title on the line.

Mandeep Soor and Luke Denbigh-White took the first rubber for the home side Kirkburton against Hadrian Clarke and Dennis Goodridge, but the quality of the badminton was superb and it could have gone either way.

Veteran of the Huddersfield League, Robert Sykes, 42, and Division I player for over 25 years, had his work cut out against Rob Field with both their men’s games going to three close ends, one won by Kirkburton, the other to VSJ.

In the ladies, the county and nationally-coached VSJ players Helen Calverley, Sam Jessop and reserve Hannah Boden were just too strong for a rather nervy Kirkburton line-up of Amber Wood, Lesley Radley and Anne Bricklebank.

The Kirkburton ladies have consistently out-performed their male teammates throughout the season, but in this showdown they weren’t able to convert any rubbers.

Going into the mixed, VSJ led 4-2, with Kirkburton needing to take all three games for the title.

Looking at the past form of Kirkburton, you would have put your money on them, with all three being experienced, well-established mixed couples.

Not surprisingly, it went to the final rubber, which was especially tense as everything was to play for.

A crowd of both home and away supporters gathered for an enthralling battle and Kirkburton’s Robert Sykes and Anne Bricklebank suffered their first loss in over two years, going down 21-18 22-20 to Hadrian Clarke and Hannah Boden.

Kirkburton A 4 Valley St James A 5

Men: (Kirkburton names first) Mandeep Soor and Luke Denbigh-White beat Dennis Goodridge and Hadrian Clarke 21-17 21-19, Soor and Robert Sykes lost to Goodridge and Rob Field 21-17 16-21 17-21, Denbigh-White and Sykes bet Clarke and Field 21-17 16-21 21-19.

Ladies: Amber Wood and Lesley Radley lost to Helen Calverley and Sam Jessop 19-21 19-21, Wood and Anne Bricklebank lost to Calverley and Hannah Boden 18-21 24-26, Radley and Bricklebank lost to Jessop and Boden 13-21 18-21.

Mixed: Soor and Wood beat Goodridge and Jessop 21-17 21-10, Denbigh-White and Radley beat Field and Calverley 22-20 21-18, Sykes and Bricklebank lost to Clarke and Boden 18-21 20-22.