GRANTHAM Badminton Club men’s B team won six rubbers to three away to Mars B in the Melton League.
The young team pairing of Toby King and Carl Jennings, school Years 11 and 10 respectively, had three exciting rubbers against opposition pairings, in which a deciding third game needed to be played. The juniors won through on one occasion, and went close in the other two, showing promise for both players’ futures in the sport.
Mike Woodhouse and Declan Hill won all three rubbers, and Chris Graves with Brian Coyle won two on the way to team victory.
Melton League mixed team pairing Rob Howbrook and Sonal Modi (Year 12) won all three rubbers at home to Belvoir, and Rob Scarborough with Laura Graves (Year 11) picked up two rubbers in a match that went down to the wire, ending with a 5-4 victory to Grantham. Josh Gould (Year 11) paired Ruth Campbell, who responded to a last minute call-up to play, and had some close games, but success eluded them on the night.
Grantham were involved in four games in the Newark League. A tense match between Grantham’s first men’s team saw them defeated 5-4 by Lincoln St Andrews. Jan Bailey with Ben Johnson won all three rubbers, Martin Chambers and Jon Ashley won one, but Nick Gill with Chris Yeardsley had an off-night, ending beaten in all three of their rubbers.
Meanwhile the second men’s team travelled to meet Lincoln Albion B, and came away with all the honours after a 9-0 whitewash, their first win of the season. Jon Ashley with Martin Chambers won all three, as did Rob Scarborough with Rob Howbrook, and Toby Mills who paired Ian Witham.
Two days later the second men’s team performed less well away to Southwell, where Rob Scarborough with Jon Ashley won one rubber, Adrian Ackroyd and Rob Young won one from three, and Declan Hill and Toby King lost all three rubbers in a 7-2 defeat.
Grantham’s mixed first were in action entertaining Westside at home. Paul Mayfield played with Susie Steeples to win two rubbers. Sophie Turley played with Ben Johnson and Kerry Durham with Jan Bailey. The visiting team had all guns blazing and despite several very close rubbers, Westside ended victorious by seven rubbers to two.