SHEPLEY gained some revenge for their early season thumping at the hands of Holmfirth E, when they edged a thriller 5-4 in Division IV of the Huddersfield Badminton League.
Having lost 8-1 at Holmfirth, Shepley were determined to win as many rubbers as possible, and after winning two of the men’s and ladies’ rubbers, it was left to Andy Martin and Sarah Hewitt to wrap up victory in the Mixed with a straight sets win over Kevin Pearson and Janet Winn.
Mick Rogers and Martin put Shepley on the winning track in the opening rubber, beating Dave Hayman & Pearson 2-1 in what was a ding-dong contest throughout the evening.
Hayman and Andy McGowan responded for Holmfirth, but Shepley were never headed, Helen Pearman partnering Kim Summers and Hewitt to respective wins over Karen Margis and Kay Boothroyd, and Winn and Margis.
Shepley’s win cut the deficit to within a point of Holmfirth in the League table.
Shepley 5 Holmfirth E 4: Men: Mick Rogers & Andy Martin bt Dave Hayman & Kevin Pearson 16-21, 21-14, 21-9; Rogers & Neil Robinson lost to Hayman & Andy McGowan 21-19, 17-21, 19-21; Martin & Robinson bt Pearson & McGowan 23-21, 21-19.
Ladies: Helen Pearman & Kim Summers bt Karen Margis & Kay Boothroyd 21-14, 12-21, 21-19; Pearman & Sarah Hewitt bt Margis & Janet Winn 21-16, 21-6; Summers & Hewitt lost to Boothroyd & Winn 15-21, 15-21.
Mixed: Rogers & Pearman lost to Hayman & Margis 19-21, 18-21; Martin & Hewitt bt Pearson & Winn 2-15, 22-20; Robinson & Summers lost to McGowan & Boothroyd 15-21, 14-21.
There was better news for Holmfirth C who notched a 6-3 victory over Kirkburton D in Division III.
But they had to do it the hard way, not only coming from behind after losing three of the first four matches, but also winning with two men and one lady playing up.
The match was finely balanced at 3-3 going into the Mixed rubbers, but that was where Holmfirth hit the front, taking all three contests. It was a result which leaves Holmfirth second in the table, while Kirkburton are struggling near the foot of the division.
Kirkburton D 3 Holmfirth C 6: Men: Alan Shaw & Mike Corden bt Dave Powell & Fred Parker 21-19, 23-21; Shaw & John Mellor lost to Powell & Ken Boulton 15-21, 21-17, 17-21; Cordner & Mellor bt Parker & Boulton 19-21, 22-20, 21-12.
Ladies: Steph Sykes & Angela Sykes bt Hannah Settle & Anne Sandiford 14-21, 22-20, 21-17; S Sykes & Nicky Faulkner lost to Settle & Bev Wilson 16-21, 12-21; A Sykes & Faulkner lost to Sandiford & Wilson 12-21, 16-21.
Mixed: Shaw & Faulkner lost to Powell & Sandiford 5-21, 11-21; Cordner & S Sykes lost to Parker & Settle 11-21, 22-20, 11-21; Mellor & A Sykes lost to Boulton & Wilson 21-19, 11-21, 25-27.
Chris Chatterton and Jane Bray were the Holmbridge B heroes after winning the last rubber of the Mixed to earn a 5-4 victory over Raqueteers B.
Holmbridge leapt into a 3-0 lead through their men, but led by Wilma Deane – who won both her ladies rubbers and the first Mixed – Raqueteers hit back to level the match at four across.
But that was when Chatterton (who also won all his three matches) and Bray stepped up to the plate and beat Nick Martinek and Lynda Fielding to seal a thrilling win.
Holmbridge B 5 Raqueteers 4: Men: Liam Parker & Chris Chatterton bt Amir Zeb & Geoff Steel 21-15, 21-18; Parker & Steven Halstead bt Zeb & Nick Martinek 19-21, 21-7, 21-7; Chatterton & Halstead bt Steel & Martinek 21-12, 21-11.
Women: Liz Noble & Jane Bray lost to Wilma Deane & Angela Hall 14-21, 7-21; Noble & Estelle Bill lost to Deane & Lynda Fielding 23-21, 18-21, 9-21; Bray & Bill bt Hall & Fielding 21-17, 20-22, 21-7.
Mixed: Halstead & Bill lost to Zeb & Deane 17-21, 15-21; Parker & Noble lost to Steet & Hall 2-15, 19-21, 14-21; Chatterton & Jane Bray bt Martinek & Fielding 21-16, 21-7.
