VALLEY St James got the better of Holmfirth C in a Division II clash in the Huddersfield Badminton League, although the match was far closer than the 8-1 scoreline would suggest.
At least it would have been had Holmfirth not been without both their first lady and first man!
St James D were also without Sheila Mellor, but an excellent effort from up-and-coming junior Rachel Fay ensured she was not really missed.
Fay, who has come through the Huddersfield coaching system and is now coached by Barbara Jones and Harry Jarvis at Leeds, won all her three rubbers, and worked very well with Jag Sodhi in the final rubber of the match, when they came from 1-0 down to beat Fred Parker and Jan Sykes.
After the first match-up of the evening, which resulted in an away win for Phil Lydamore and Dave Powell over Nick Parocic and Ian Jones, the latter had to leave the match unexpectedly which allowed Valley to take advantage.
Wendy Bok, Hayley Smith and Fay won all three Ladies’ rubbers after some tense and lengthy rallies, while Parocic and Smith had to battle hard to beat Hannah Settle and Lydamore in the first of the Mixed clashes.
Valley St James D 8 Holmfirth C 1
Men: Nick Parocic & Ian Jones lost to Phil Lydamore & Dave Powell 18-21, 16-21; Parocic & Jag Sodhi bt Powell & Fred Parker walkover; Jones & Sodhi bt Powell & Parker walkover.
Ladies: Wendy Bok & Hayley Smith bt Ann Sandiford 21-13, 21-15; Bok & Rachel Fay bt Settle & Jan Sykes 21-13, 21-15; Smith & Faye bt Sandiford & Sykes 21-19, 21-15.
Mixed: Parocic & Smith bt Settle & Lydamore 21-16, 21-18; Holmfirth conceded; Sodhi & Fay bt Parker & Sykes 21-22, 21-16, 21-16.
There was also an 8-1 win for Flying Feathers C in the Division IV game against St Cuthbert Racqueteers.
And although Feathers had won sufficient rubbers after the men’s and ladies, Racqueteers battled all the way in the Mixed, none more so than 13-year-old Claire Kenny.
Flying Feathers C 8 St Cuthbert Racqueteers 1
Men: Mark Carroll & Neil Coombes lost to Nabeel Bhatti & Unser Bhatti 14-21, 12-21; Carroll & Richard Irons bt Bhatti & Huy Rhydderch 21-8, 21-14; Coomb es & Irons bt Bhatti & Rhydderch 23-21, 21-12.
Ladies: Marie Whitehouse & Chris Ford bt Jane Holmes & Jenny Hemsworth 21-12, 21-4; Whitehouse & Vernocia Carrapiett bt Holmes & Claire Kenny 21-13, 21-11; Ford & Carrapiett bt Hemsworth & Kenny 21-15, 12.
Mixed: Carroll & Whitehouse bt Bhatti & Holmes 21-9, 21-23, 21-19; Irons & Ford bt Rhydderch & Hemsworth 21-4, 18-21, 21-12; Mixed: Coombes & Carrapiett bt Bhatti & Kenny 14-21, 21-13, 21-15.
A MUCH-changed Phoenix A team entertained Kirkburton and just came out on top 5-4 although missing two of last season’s first team men, following an injury to No1 Mark Broadley and the call to university of Tom Boulton.
Captain Steve Slack is the only player remaining with the gap being filled by two players tho were in the third team last year, Richard Stephenson and Tony Bullock.
Phoenix’s trepidation was quickly put aside however, as they won two out of the three rubbers in both the men’s and ladies’ sections.
Stephenson played particularly well in two long back-to-back three-setters, while Judy Vickerman showed her class and experience to remain unbeaten in the ladies, giving them a 4-2 lead going into the Mixed.
Phoenix A 5 Kirkburton 4
Men: Steve Slack & Richard Stephenson bt John Crowther & Carl Simpson 22-20, 16-21, 21-13; Slack & Tony Bullock lost to Crowther & Cockran 22-24, 10-21; Stephenson & Bullock bt Simpson & Cockran 21-14, 16-21, 21-15.
Ladies: Judy Vickerman & Debbie Jackson bt Steph Sykes & Angela Sykess 22-20, 21-16; Vickerman & Julie Linsley bt S Sykes & Cath Bentley 21-16, 21-18; Jackson & Linsley lost to A Sykes & Bentley 19-21, 21-11, 19-21.
Mixed: Slack & Linsley bt Crowther & S Sykes 21-15, 21-13; Bullock & Jackson lost to Simpson and A Sykes 17-21, 21-17, 11-21; Stephenson & Vickerman lost to Cockran & Bentley 11-21, 15-21.
Valley St James E 4 Holmfirth E 5
Men: Jonathan Clerhugh & Colin Sladden bt Chris Bottomley & Dave Hayman 21-12, 21-15; Clerhugh & Dean Brearley bt Bottomley & Jake Naish 21-18, 21-11; Sladden & Brearley bt Hayman & Naish 21-13, 18-21, 21-19.
Ladies: Rachael Faye & Liz Kenny lost to Bev Wilson & Cath Allsopp 21-18, 15-21, 19-21; Faye & Bernadette Ruttle lost to Wilson & Naomi Downes 11-21, 8-21; Kenny & Ruttle lost to Allsopp & Downes 12-21, 16-21.
Mixed: Sladden & Faye bt Bottomley & Allsopp 17-21, 21-14, 21-8; Clerhugh & Ruttle lost to Hayman & Wilson 14-21, 21-17, 20-22; Brearley & Kenny lost to Naish & Downes 21-15, 19-21, 14-21.
