Welcome to the Bolton Badminton League website. This season the League has 15 affiliated clubs and a total of 43 teams competing across 4 sections to not only come top of their respective sections, but to win the Jane Fletcher Memorial Cup and the Robert Cup.
The main aim of this site is to keep all affiliated clubs, teams and players up to date with the latest news and results for all sections of the League. If anyone has any suggestions of new content for the site, or feedback on current content then you can get in touch here.
Results are now updated as soon as they have been processed by the Match Secretaries.
Sat 04 May 2013 15:43 Ann Schofield
Markland Hill will be running an american style badminton tournament on Sunday 19th May 2013 in which partners are drawn at random on the day.
Sunday 19th May 2013
9am registration and tournament draw
£7 per person per event
Level doubles and mixed doubles events
Sat 06 Apr 2013 18:57 Ann Schofield
Metropolitan enjoyed a double victory at Bolton Badminton League’s season-ending Handicap Cup finals at Markland Hill. Metropolitan A, who ended the league season 11th, lost on the night but claimed the Jane Fletcher Cup courtesy of their handicap, overcoming a spirited effort from fifth-placed Westhoughton B. It was the same story in the Robert Cup final, in which Metropolitan B, who finished fourth in their league, were beaten by third-placed Forrest F but won via the handicap.
In the Jane Fletcher Cup, only three points separated the two teams after the first six games were shared. At the half-way stage Westhoughton were 7-3 up on games but handicap matches are all about points and it was very close for both teams when Metropolitan’s Jo Holden and Liz Allcock won their games 21-12, 21-14, against Angela Monaghan and Viv Coleman, stacking up more points. Of the final six games Westhoughton won five, Metropolitan’s Dave Smith and Steve Foster taking the first of the final two men’s games 21-19 and Stephen Dixon and Anthony Hughes winning the second 21-18. Westhoughton won the match 344-297, but when the envelope was opened it revealed a handicap of 120 for Metropolitan giving them the victory with 417 points
The first six games of the Robert Cup were also shared before Forrest’s Lindsey Tait and Lauren Gittins won both their ladies games 21-4 against Sue Jameson and Keeley Myatt. It was still too close to call at the point, but the final two games turned the tie Metropolitan’s way when Jonathan and Peter Holden won both games 21-13 against Steve Tran and Ben Roberts. Forrest still won the tie 341-315, but when the envelope was opened it revealed a handicap of 70 for Metropolitan, giving them the victory with 385 points.
The Bolton Badminton League will be holding its annual presentation evening on Friday 12th April 2013. It will be held at the Horwich RMI club and admission is strictly by ticket only. Contact Ann Schofield for tickets which are £10 each.
Wed 03 Apr 2013 17:18 Ann Schofield
Fourth-placed Oakgate A played ninth-placed D.L. Farnworth A in the Bolton Badminton League A Section and although there were a number of close games, Oakgate ran out 15-3 winners. Alison Constantine and Danny Lockey playing first for Oakgate, won both their games 21-12, 21-13 against Farnworth’s number two pair, Georgina Riding and Andrew Clarke. Oakgate’s second couple, Mandy Scott and Iqbal Khan , followed suit beating Linda Marney and Howard Riding 21-18, 21-19 and their third pairing of Joanne Schofield and Nayn Min beat Janette Owen and Jamie Allen 21-17, 23-21. When the top couples met, the games were shared, Marney and Riding putting Farnworth on the scoreboard with a 21-19 win against Constantine and Lockey who took the second 21-19. The games were also shared when the number two couples met with Scott and Khan winning the first for Oakgate 21-12 and Riding and Clarke taking the second 21-11. Of the final eight games, Oakgate allowed Farnworth only one other game when Allen and Clarke took the first of the final men’s games 21-17 and Khan and Min the final game of the night 21-13.
Westhoughton A, who have been dominant at the top of B Section, beat Markland Hill C 17-1. Playing second couple for Westhoughton, Ruth Atherton and Mike Nicholson, won the opening games 21-10, 21-13 against Sylvia Gill and Geoff Williams. Helen Smith and Dave Urmston, Westhoughton’s number one couple won their games 21-19, 21-11 against Markland Hill’s Sue Webber and Darren Valentine. Westhoughton were eight games ahead when the number two couples shared their games with Webber and Valentine winning their team’s first game of the match 21-16 before Atherton and Nicholson took the second 21-10. Alison Muddiman and Smith advanced their team’s score further when they won both of the first two ladies games 21-9, 21-8. Westhoughton kept up the pressure right up until the final men’s game when Craig Harvey and Nicholson beat Alan Powell and Valentine 21-19.
Sat 30 Mar 2013 16:28 Kath Orrell
| Metro A | 417 (297 + 120) |
| Westhoughton B | 344 |
| Metro B | 385 (315 + 70) |
| Forrest F | 341 |
Tue 12 Mar 2013 21:36 Ann Schofield
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.
Wed 06 Mar 2013 17:06 Kath Orrell
Congratulations to the teams that have made it through to this year's cup finals. Details of the finals for the 2012/13 season are as follows.
Please note that this year the finals will be played at Markland Hill Lawn Tennis Club. The club has a viewing gallery and a bar so supporters are most welcome to attend.
Mon 04 Mar 2013 14:32 Chris Travis
This week sees the best badminton players in the world competing in the Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships 2013. If you are not able to make it down to the Birmingham National Indoor Arena then why not see if you can catch it on Sky Sports 4:
Full details on TV coverage is available here.
Check out the trailer for the Championships on Youtube.
Mon 04 Mar 2013 13:54 Ann Schofield
Oakgate A produced a dramatic finish to earn a draw with Forrest A. Forrest belied their position two places behind their third-placed opponents as they romped into an 8-2 lead. But never-say-die Oakgate stormed back with seven victories in the last eight games to draw 9-9. Forrest’s Carolyn Wood and Chris Mealor set the tone for the first half of the remarkable match with 21-12 and 21-11 victories over Helena Woodburn and Martin Sykes-Jones. Second couple, Paula Wright and Ron Welsh, emulated their team-mates’ achievement by beating Paula Cranham and Simon Froude 21-16 and 21-12. Oakgate’s third pairing, Laura Woodburn and Nyan Min, hit back with 21-12, 21-13 wins against Lisa Harrison and Will Wiseman. But the response was short lived as Forrest won the remainder of the mixed games to lead 8-2 going into the doubles games. That was when the tide turned. Oakgate’s Cranham and Laura Woodburn dug in and won both of the first pair of ladies’ games 21-15, 21-17 against Wood and Harrison. The first pair of men’s games were then shared when Oakgate’s Froude and Min took the first 21-17 and Mealor and Wiseman the second 21-17. With the score now 9-5 Forrest needed just one more win to clinch victory. But Oakgate were not in the mood to lie down. They took all the last four games to earn a share of the spoils, Martin Sykes-Jones and Min hanging on in to win the final two of the night against Welsh and Wiseman.
Another game which went all the way saw Markland Hill C beat Park BC 10-8 in B Section. Third-placed Park drew first blood when their first couple, Barbara Gillett and Phil Pilling, comfortably won the first two games 21-11, 21-9 against Sue Webber and Paul Webber. Markland Hill’s first couple, Angela Brown and Darren Valentine, responded with two narrow victories 21-19, 22-20 against Barbara Nowell and Ian Campbell. Park’s third couple, Bev Evans and Stuart Lovell, beat league stalwarts Sylvia Gill and Geoff Williams 21-19 before losing to them 21-18. After more evenly-matched mixed games, Markland Hill were just edging the match 6-4. Park leveled with success in the first two of the ladies’ games when Gillett and Evans beat Brown and Gill 21-16, 21-18. But Markland Hill’s men restored their side’s lead by winning the first two men’s games 21-18, 21-16, only for Park to win the last two ladies’ games 21-10, 21-14 and level the score. Up stepped Markland Hill’s Webber and Williams who dug in to win both games 21-17, 21-18 and clinch the match.
Mon 25 Feb 2013 01:03 Ann Schofield
Smithills B edged a close-fought game against Moorside C, three places above them in D section of the Bolton League. The result was in the balance right up to the final two games before ninth placed Smithills sealed a 10-8 victory over their sixth-placed opponents. It was first blood to Moorside as their second couple, Judith Parker and Brian Bainbridge, won the opening game 24-22. Smithills’ first couple, Glynis Pilkington and Kevin Deighan, hit back immediately to take the second 21-16, and the close-fought nature of their encounters set the scene for the match. Smithills’ second couple Tony Sames and Vicky Stokes put their side ahead with a dominant performance which resulted in 21-9, 21-17 victories over Rhian Vickers and Graham Keeler. The third couples shared their games, with Moorside’s Jane Whelan and Steve Barton winning the first 21-17, and Diane Hunt and Ken Lee taking the second 21-18. Wins continued to be shared with Moorside’s Vickers and Whelan winning the first of the ladies’ games 21-18, and Pilkington and Hunt hitting back to claim the second 21-14. Smithills’ Deighan and Lee won both close-fought men’s games against Keeler and Barton 21-18, to leave the final two men’s games to decide whether Smithills would win or draw. Moorside’s Bainbridge and Barton won the first 21-17, but Sames and Lee would not be denied at the death, taking the final game of the night 21-18 to clinch the match for Smithills.
There was no surprise victory in another D Section match between seventh-placed D.L. Farnworth D and 11th placed Moorside D. The higher placed side ran out comfortable 15-3 winners. Farnworth’s second couple, Irene Crompton and Sam Ford, set the scene with a 21-15, 21-10 victory over Moorside’s first couple, Helen Williamson and Rob Farrar. Farnworth had the match won after the mixed games, but Moorside dug in and opened their account with victory in the first of the ladies’ games when Williamson and Denise Fortune beat Kate Bridge and Kichelle Medard 21-19. The Farnworth ladies hit back immediately by claiming the second game 21-14. The first pair of men’s games went in Farnworth’s favour when Chris Elcock and Phil Ashcroft won 21-17, 21-16 against Farrar and Sean McLoone. The second pair of ladies’ games were also shared when Moorside’s Jean Gooddy and Fortune won the first 21-17 and Crompton and Medard took the second 21-19. The last two men’s games went to Farnworth’s Ford and Ashcroft when they beat Graham Culf and McLoone 21-14, 21-6.
In C Section, D.L. Farnworth B beat Moorside B 14-4.
Mon 18 Feb 2013 00:15 Ann Schofield
Bury’s title charge in the Bolton Badminton League A Section, suffered a setback after the second-placed side fell to their first defeat of the season. Third-placed Oakgate A clinched victory 10-8, although the see-saw match was nip and tuck all the way. C. Mackinlay and Nyan Min, playing second for Oakgate, won the opening games 21-16 and 21-14 against Bury’s top couple, Yvonne Ashworth and Clint Gibbs. Bury’s second couple, Niccy McGrath and Gordon Mitchell, responded with the next two games – 21-3, 21-9 – against Anna Wiza and Martryn Syjes-Jones. The thirds split their games, when Laura Woodburn and Simon Froude won the first for Oakgate, 21-13 before Grace Krzempak and Oliver Gregory then took the next 21-19 for Bury. The match turned, however, with Oakgate’s ladies as Wiza and Woodburn won 21-7 and 21-5 against Ashworth and Krezempak, before Woodburn with Mackinlay won their games 21-14, 21-11. Bury’s Gibbs and Gregory then turned the tables to take both games 22-20 and 21-10 against Sykes-Jones and Froude. But Oakgate’s Min and Froude clinched the tie with a 21-10 win in the first of the men’s matches.
In C Section tenth placed Smithills A cruised to a 13-5 win over eleventh placed Westhoughton E. They enjoyed a whitewash in the mixed couples, winning the first six matches before Westhoughton finally pegged one back. Smithills’ Lorraine Shepherd and Diane Leigh won the first of the ladies matches 21-18, before Westhoughton’s Sue Carney and Sam Robertson won the second 21-13. Although Smithills had won the match, the two teams fought on and shared the final six games.
Sun 10 Feb 2013 13:16 Ann Schofield
Forrest E went second in C Section of the Bolton League when they clinched a 10-8 victory over Moorside A. Forrest did not drop a game until the third couples met. Forrest’s Lindsey Tait and Paul Skivington won their first game 21-18 but, fifth placed Moorside’s, Joanne Egan and Steve Gittins took the second 21-16. The next four games were shared between two teams who are only two points apart in a closely-contested pack behind leaders DL Farnworth B. Forrest’s David Travis and Louise Quayle won the opening game of the first couples 21-16, but Judith Standish and Matt Barton took the second 21-15. Honours were even in the second couples’ match with Forrest’s Brenda Shott and Mark Allen, and Moorside’s Sue Beamer and Andy Taylor each winning 21-11. Moorside finished strongly with victory in the last five games, but left their effort too late as Forrest hung on to claim both points.
In D Section, seventh-placed Forrest G got the better of sixth-placed Moorside C 10-8. Forrest’s first couple, Marion Ross and Ronan Considine, won the first game 21-15 before Moorside second couple, Rhian Vickers and Brian Bainbridge, took the second 21-19. Moorside’s firsts, Judith Parker and Simon Ball, edged both games against Lauren Gittins and Andy Worthington 21-17, 21-18. Forrest’s third couple, Rachel Sojka and Chris Latham, then had 21-11, 21-18 victories over Jane Whelan and Jamie Belton. The first games of the ladies’ doubles were both won 21-19, by Moorside’s Parker and Whelan against Ross and Sojka. Forrest dominated the latter stages, allowing Moorside just one victory in the last six games, Vickers and Whelan shared their games 21-14 with Forrest’s Gittins and Sojka in a ladies contest. The final two deciding games of the match went Forrest’s way with Worthington and Latham beating Bainbridge and Belton 21-15 and 21-11.
Thu 07 Feb 2013 21:35 Andy Tatam
On Saturday 23rd February 2013 Markland Hill will be running a series of Badminton Masterclass sessions hosted by former Olympic head coach Andy Wood and Olympic Silver medallist Nathan Robertson.
09:30 - 12:00: Junior Masterclass
12:30 - 15:00: Adult Club Player Masterclass
15:00 - 17:30: Adult Advanced Masterclass
£20 per person
Markland Hill Racquet Sports and Fitness Club, Victoria Road, Bolton, BL1 5AN
For more information download the poster or e-mail Andy Tatam
Mon 04 Feb 2013 19:27 Ann Schofield
The handicap system worked a treat in two of the Bolton League’s cup competitions. In both handicap competitions teams from lower sections beat high-placed opponents – but only by narrow margins, and results were in doubt until the envelopes were opened at the end of the ties.
A Section team Forrest A knew they would be heavily handicapped when they came up against Westhoughton B from Section B in the third round of the Jane Fletcher Memorial Cup. Predictably they dominated proceedings from start to finish – apart from in one of the pairings when Westhoughton dug in and picked up valuable points along the way. Forrest’s top couple, Paula Wright and Ron Welsh, won 21-14, 21-8 against Westhoughton’s second couple Mandy Gow and John Cole. Lisa Harrison and Tony Augustyniak, then won 21-19, 21-18 against Westhoughton’s first couple, Gill Moar and Mike Nicholson – a result that proved crucial in the final reckoning. Carolyn Wood and Chris Mealor, playing third for Forrest against Viv Coleman and Anthony Hughes also won their games 21-4, 21-9, but when the two second couples met, Westhoughton’s Gow and Coles won the first game 21-17 boosting their morale as well as their points tally. Harrison and Augustyniak won the second game 21-12, but the damage had been done. And even though Forrest dominated the level doubles games, allowing their opponents to reach double figures in only four of the last eight games, Westhoughton progressed to the next round with a 378-374 win by virtue of a 170 point start.
There was another high handicap tie In the Robert Cup when D Section Moorside C, played C Section’s Sharples C, which would be another high handicapped match. Once again the higher section team dominated the games but Moorside refused to be over-whelmed at any stage – and got their reward in the end, winning 392-371 thanks to a 170 – point start. Judith Parker and Stuart Hall, Moorside’s top couple, lost to Sharples’ Anne Marie Saunders and John Pimblett 21-9, 21-11, and second couple Rhian Vickers and Alan Parkinson went down 21-18, 21-7 to Sharples’ top couple, Eileen Beaney and Nick Hitchin. But they were valuable points and when Moorside’s third couple, Helen Williamson and Brian Bainbridge, shared their games against Kath Heywood and David Fairclough, winning the first 21-12 before losing the second 21-11, Sharples were clearly not having things all their own way. When the second couples’ games were also shared, Moorside’s Vickers and Parkinson winning the first 22-20 and Saunders and Pimblett taking the second 24-22 for Sharples the tie was in the balance. Although Sharples won the remainder of the games with the final two men’s games going to Pimblett and Fairclough, 21-16, 21-8, Moorside had continued to add to their tally and when the opening of the envelope revealed a +170 handicap in Moorside’s favour it gave them a 392-371 win.
Sat 26 Jan 2013 21:09 Ann Schofield
Markland Hill C’s clash with Westhoughton B in B Section of the Bolton League was much closer than the scoreline suggested. Fifth placed Hill opened up a three point advantage on their sixth placed opponents with a 12-6 win, but many of the games were hard fought. Hill’s first pair, Sylvia Gill and Darren Valentine, won the first game 21-17 but Westhoughton’s second couple of Sue Kinsella and Anthony Hughes replied by taking the second 21-14. The following four games seesawed between both teams and the match was even at 3-3, however Gill and Valentine won their games 21-10, 21-9 against Westhoughton’s Gill Moar and Shaun Chadwick. Hill’s second couple, Pam Yates and Geoff Williams, played Kinsella and Hughes, taking both games 21-19,21-15. Gill with Kate Partington, took on Westhoughton’s Moar and Viv Coleman, in the first two of the ladies’ games and won the two close games 22-20 and 21-17. Westhoughton pair Pete Nicholson and Chadwick took the first game of their men’s 21-14,before Markland Hill’s Alan Powell and Valentine responded by taking the second 21-18. Westhoughton’s Coleman and Kinsella won both their ladies’ games 21-10 and 21-15 against Partington and Yates. The final two games of the match went to Markland Hill when Williams and Powell beat Nicholson and Hughes 21-17, 21-13.
In an exciting match in Section D, ninth placed DL Farnworth D drew 9-9 with 10th placed Smithills B. The first two games went to Farnworth’s first couple of stalwart Irene Crompton and Sam Ford who had comfortable wins of 21-10 and 21-14 against Kath Waddington and Ken Lee, Smithills’ second couple. Smithills first couple, Vicky Stokes and Tony Sames then won two close games 21-19 and 21-17 against Kate Bridge and Phil Ashcroft. Farnworth’s third couple, Kichelle Medard and Chris Elcock then won 21-15, 21-9 against Aileen O’Brien and Kevin Deighan. Stokes and Sames won a nailbiting first game 23-21 when the top couples met, but Crompton and Ford had a very comfortable win in the second 21-4. The last two games of the mixed sets were split when Farnworth’s Bridge and Ashcroft took the first 21-19, and Waddington and Lee won the second 21-18. Smithills ladies, O’Brien and Stokes, won 23-21, 21-15 against Crompton and Medard. The first men’s games were shared when Farnworth’s Elcock and Ford took the first 21-17 and Smithills won the second 21-18. Farnworth’s ladies, Bridge and Medard, won their games convincingly 21-5, 21-8 against Waddington and O’Brien. Farnworth must have been keeping their fingers crossed in the final games of the night when Elcock and Ashcroft took on Lee and Deighan but the Smithills pair hung on to win 21-17 and 21-11.
Sun 20 Jan 2013 22:38 Ann Schofield
Forrest C picked up where they left off before Christmas, maintaining their second place in the B section of the Bolton League with a 13-5 win over fourth-placed Park. Judith Mealor and Tony Augustyniak, first couple for Forrest, started the ball rolling with 21-15 and 21-18 wins over Park’s Barbara Gillett and Phil Pilling. Park’s first couple, Sara Shingler and Stuart Lovell, took their first game 21-13 against Christine Travis and John Mealor, but lost 21-7 in the second. Forrest’s thirds, Karen Holden and Steve Irwin, won their first game 21-16 but Park’s Barbara Nowell and Ian Campbell took the second game 21-12. In the ladies’ doubles, Shingler and Nowell won the first game for Park 21-16 but Holden and Mealor took a nail biting marathon second game 26-24. The first two men’s games went to Forrest, Augustyniak and Irwin beating Campbell and Lovell 21-19 and 21-12. The second of the ladies’ games were split, but Mealor and Irwin claimed the final men’s games for Forrest.
Bolton Lads and Girls Club scraped an 11-7 victory at Moorside C to maintain their lead at the top of Section D. The B L&G second couple, Sam Sewart and Lee Bailey, won the first game 21-18 against Judith Parker and Simon Ball, who responded by winning the second 21-16 for Moorside. Abi Sewart and Suren Lad - the Lads and Girls’ first couple – enjoyed two closely-fought victories over Moorside second couple, Rhian Vickers and Alan Parkinson, winning 23-21 and 26-24. Jane Whelan and Stuart Hall, Moorside’s third couple split their games against Kirsty Patterson and Inayate Ali. The first two games of ladies went to Moorside when Whelan and Parker beat Abi Sewart and Patterson 21-16 and 21-15. But BL&G’s Ali and Lad turned the tables when they won both their men’s games 21-19 and 21-13 against Hall and Ball. The second set of ladies’ games also went to Moorside when Whelan and Vickers beat Patterson and Sam Sewart convincingly, 21-5 and 21-4. Youngsters Ali and Bailey clinched overall victory and maintained BL&G’s unbeaten record, winning the two men’s games 21-10 and 21-9 against Hall and Parkinson.
