Newbury begin season with convincing victory
A number of other sides began their campaign in the Newbury badminton league
NEWBURY Ladies B team made little work of their badminton clash this week as they beat Bucklebury B 6-0 in Division 2
In the Mixed encounters, St Mary's C could only field two pairs when they took on a strong team from Kennet C.
Starting three points down, there was only ever going to be one result but if only there had been a third pair to support the St Mary's number one pair, the result may well have been different.
As it was though, the Kennet team cruised to a 7-2 victory.
Downlands B took on the St Mary's B squad in a hard fought battle which saw four of the nine rubbers going down to the wire.
The two teams grabbed two rubbers apiece but the remainder were not of the same intensity and the St Mary's team eased through these to take the points and a 7 - 2 victory.
In the Men's competition, St Mary's A took on the visitors from Hurst.
Dogged resistance from the Hurst squad and lapses in concentration from the St Mary's team gave Hurst hope but it was just a bit too late to stop the St Mary's squad from getting home with the two points.
Final score was a win for St Mary's by 7 - 2 but if fortune had been smiling on Hurst, it could have been much closer.
Kennet A played hosts to a Shaw B side which was unable to field a full squad.
Nevertheless, the resulting match was hard fought all the way.
Four of the six rubbers played went the distance but it was Kennet who took the spoils. The record will show a clear victory for Kennet by 8 - 1 but the score card shows that of the total points scored, it was just a margin of fourteen that separated the two sides on the night.
The Kennet C squad were also out this week as they went away to Newbury B but they did not fare as well as their A team colleagues.
Kennet's number three pairing, comprising experience and youth, took two points for their side but the Newbury squad showed no mercy to the rest of the Kennet side as they eased home to a victory of 7 - 2.
When Hurst turned their B side out for this match, it was with just two pairs but the handicap was swiftly cancelled out as the visitors from Whitchurch did the same.
In what must have been a fairly short evening, Hurst set about the visitors. Whitchurch never got chance to settle before it was all over. The result on the score card shows a win for Hurst by 4 - 0.
