MARK CARROLL was the hero as Beaumont Park narrowly beat the Racqueteers 5-4 in a Huddersfield and District Badminton League Division IV match.
Carroll won all three rubbers he competed in to spearhead the home side to victory.
In the men’s double’s he helped win the first two men’s rubbers in partnership with Barry Goldsborough and Jim Brown.
In the mixed doubles partnering Carole Hetherington he played a key role in the win to extend the advantage to 5-2 with only two rubbers remaining.
The two ladies’ doubles matches that were played – the third was conceded by Park due to an injury to Sharon Appleby – proved close, both going to deciding games. Beaumont Park narrowly won the two completed rubbers to extend their advantage.
Carroll completed his unbeaten evening by combining with Hetherington in the mixed, before the Racqueteers sportingly allowed injured Appleby to compete in the mixed doubles with Jim Brown, narrowly losing to make it 5-4 to Beaumont Park.
Men: Carroll and Goldsborough beat Rydderch and Holmes 21-10 21-12, Carroll and Brown beat Rydderch and Horton 18-21 21-15 21-17, Goldsborough and Brown lost to Holmes and Horton 18-21 14-21.
Ladies: Hetherington and Appleby beat Holmes and Walker 11-21 21-18 21-19, Hetherington and Holleworth beat Holmes and Hemsworth 10-21 21-10 21-17, Appleby and Holleworth conceded to Walker and Hemsworth.
Mixed: Carroll and Hetherington beat Rydderch and Holmes 21-13 21-7, Goldsborough and Holleworth lost to Holmes and Walker 12-21 16-21, Brown and Appleby lost to Horton and Hemsworth 21-12 17-21 12-21.
Royds Hall are sharing their Monday night venue with Raqueteers this season, and with two matches usually being played it creates a good atmosphere, as happened when both the men’s and ladies’ teams took on Holmbridge.
The home men got a creditable 4-4 draw but the Royds ladies grabbed a 4-2 win – but it was hard work.
Established tennis player Megan Hughes is a new player in the Holmbridge line-up, and she is one to watch out for in the future, so Royds are not looking forward to the return, even though they enjoy playing against them.
Ladies: Sue Jessop and Catherine Davies lost to Hilary Morgan and Hughes 12-21 13-21, Helen Lambert and Shradha Long beat Jane Bray and Doreen Dewhirst 18-21 21-19 21-12, Jessop and Long beat Morgan and Dewhirst 21-19 21-11, Lambert and Davies beat Bray and Hughes 21-16 21-17, Long and Davies lost to Dewhirst and Hughes 19-21 21-8 22-24, Jessop and Lambert beat Morgan and Bray 11-21 21-13 21-6.
