Week 23 News
HANDICAP NO FACTOR IN METRO’S CUP WIN
Metro B kept ahead of the game to beat Moorside C for a place in Bolton Badminton League’s Robert Cup final. With Metro fourth and Moorside sixth, the handicap was expected to be a key factor in a closely-contested match but the +50 differential did not influence the final outcome. Moorside started well with Judith Parker and Simon Ball beating Metro’s second couple, Carol and Dennis Corbett, 21-19, 21-15. But it was Metro who emerged victorious with the final score 356-343. Metro’s first couple, Pauline Charnock and Steve Drinkwater, responded well, beating Rhian Vickers and Stuart Hall 21-17, 21-18 before their third couple, Liz Allcock and Peter Holden, beat Julie Atkinson and Jamie Belton 21-18, 21-19. The scoring remained close throughout the match but when Moorside’s second ladies pair of Vickers and Atkinson won 21-14, 21-13, Metro knew they had their work cut out, leading by just 314, 272 going into the final two men’s games. But the experienced duo of Corbett and Holden won both their games 21-10, 21-11 against Hall and Belton – margins that proved decisive when the envelope was opened and the handicap factored in.
A close encounter in B Section saw eleventh placed Metro A beat tenth placed Forrest D 333-329 to reach the Jane Fletcher Memorial Cup final. Barbara Butterworth and Mike Horrocks, playing first for Metro, shared the first two games of the night, winning the first 21-10 and Forrest’s second couple, Gerry Fielding and Ian Winrow, took the second 21-18. Karen Holden and Greg White, playing first couple for Forrest, won 21-16, 21-17 against Liz Allock and David Smith. Metro’s third couple, Joanne Holden and Ste Foster, won their two games against Georgina King and Ray Schofield, and in the process stacked up vital points. When the teams’ top couples met, Metro’s Butterworth and Horrocks, won the first game 24-22, but Forrest responded by winning the second 21-6. Forrest seemed to be gaining the upper-hand when they won the final two mixed games, 21-9, 21-14, Fielding and Winrow beating Allcock and Smith, giving Forrest much needed points. Metro’s determination shone through in the doubles. They won five out of the final eight games and although Forrest won the two final games of the match when Winrow and Schofield beat Smith and Foster 21-15, 21-18, their efforts proved in vain when the envelope was opened.