02/12/2022
DIVISION 1
A strong Poulton team overcame reigning champions Hesketh Fleetwood A 16-8 which not only makes the top of the division very close but possibly makes Poulton favourites for the title. HF got off to a great start by winning the first ladies and splitting the first mens to lead 3-1 but then Poulton responded by winning the next 4 ladies plus 3 mens games to lead 8-4 after the levels. The league's top pairing of Michelle Skinner and Nick Hodgson comfortably won the first mixed which was followed by a split set. A win in the third mixed set by Emily Monk and Jack Needham gave Poulton the win at 13-5. Another set win meant Poulton actually led 15-5 with 2 sets remaining. Down but not out HF managed to win 3 of the final 4 games meaning they were able to salvage a bonus point which could be crucial at the end of the season. Nick won 7 to be POTM and HF's Caroline Andrew and Dave Wiseman won 5.
Lightning A beat Stanley A without the loss of a game. Jenny Stothard and Oliver Hives conceded the same points just ahead of Lee Williams. Lightning into second place going into the Christmas break 1 point and 1 game fewer than Hesketh Fleetwood A !
DIVISION 2
Kirkham Charter A had their ladies to thank for winning all 6 against Project 12. Their men won 2, including a pair of settings, to give them an 8-4 lead after the levels. Two of the divisions top mixed pairs Kirkham's Amelia Parker and Ian Cartmell and Project's Jon Jackson and Kat Platt faced each other in the first set which ended with honours even. Sets 2 & 3 went to both teams to maintain Kirkham's 4 game advantage at 11-7. In set 10 Kirkham's top pair won to give them victory. Project kept fighting and were rewarded with 3 games in the final 2 sets to give them a bonus point. Sisters Amelia and Verity Parker won 4 ladies and 3 mixed to be joint best players. Mark Pickles won 5 games for Project.
At half time Lids led 12-0 in their match against Stanley C, with hope of completing a whitewash. However a spirited fight back in the mixed meant Stanley won 4 games. Linda Settle and Mark Green won 8 games for Lids with Claire Doherty and Jake Meakin winning a creditable 3 mixed. Lids into second but played one more than Kirkham.
Both ends of the table met on Wednesday which resulted in an easy 23-1 win for the league leaders Lightning B over Stanley C. It was only in the second mixed that Stanley managed to win a game. Andy Heaton easily conceded the fewest points to be the match's best player with Angela Longstaff and Gareth Jones winning the solitary game for Stanley. One point separating the top 3 with Lightning just ahead by 1 point.
Hesketh Fleetwood C beat Kirkham Charter B despite losing all their ladies. 6 games in the mens and 9 mixed were enough to give HF the victory. Ant Cross won all his 8 games whilst Hollie Mackay won 4 ladies and split 2 mixed with father Dave to help Kirkham win yet another bonus point - their 5th in 6 matches! HF comfortably mid table with Kirkham at the lower end of the table but well clear of the bottom two.
LEVELS
Biggest match of the season in the levels division saw Lightning A host Hesketh Fleetwood A with both teams having a 100% record. In the first round of matches, Lightning led 3-1 after a close opening win by Nathan Bunting and Rob Cockerill 21-18 22-20. In the second and third rounds both sides won a set to maintain Lightning's 2 game advantage at 7-5. In the penultimate set Lightning clinched victory through Rob and Graham Cooper winning comfortably whilst the final set was split. Nathan lost 1 game 22-20 but won his other 7 for yet another POTM performance. Ben Yau won 6 and was the only player on the losing team to win at least half his games.
A mid table clash resulted in a very close match when Bloomfield A hosted Lids A. These evenly matched teams traded sets until the penultimate set. With the score at 6 all the 7th set was the first set of the match to be split. It was only in the final set that the match was decided when the Lids pair of Jason Lydon and James Leigh won both games 21-17 21-16. Jason and James also had the best performances of the night winning 6 games each and Jordan Taylor-Millington won 5 for the unlucky losers.
