Badminton: Deeside club dominates North East Wales handicap tournament

Dec 23 2010 by Alec Doyle, Flintshire Chronicle

THE annual North East Wales Regional Badminton Association Championships were dominated by players from Deeside Badminton Club.

Lee Billington and Ashley Oxborough overcame Connah’s Quay’s Daniel Roberts and Dave Markey in two straight games, followed by clubmates Natalie Beard and Belinda Jones proving too good for the Llanferres pairing of Jane Givelin and Claire Halestrap.

Despite only five clubs and 28 players entering this year’s handicap tournament some exciting games took place with the final of the mixed the pick of the bunch.

There Deesiders Billington and Beard nailed a third trophy for their club by defeating Quay duo Daniel Roberts and Anneke Cummins.

In the Flintshire Badminton League Division One’s bottom club Holywell A fought tenaciously against fourth- placed Mold A to record a creditable 4-4 draw.

Laura Thomas and Anne Booth and Nora Dunn and Nicky Mitchell each won their doubles matches to boost Holwell.

At the other end of the table leaders Deeside A overcame a battling performance by Connah’s Quay A, winning 5-3.

Highlight of the evening was the second ladies double when Player-of-the-Match Claire Calder, with partner Izzy Cain, just got the better of Jill Povey and Laura Parry by a single point in the third game.

Unbeaten Division Two leaders Rossett A consolidated their position with a comfortable 6-2 win over Ruthin A as Andy Lloyd and the experienced Dave Lovatt edged out Andy Purshouse and Owain Astley in three tight games.

Improving Llanferres A rattled up a 6-2 win over weakened hosts Mold B.

Unusually there were two separate nominations for player of the match – Mold’s Chris Preston for his spectacular dives and Daniel Williams, who played alongside father Peter at second men’s.

It was a close call, but Wynnstay Arms remain unbeaten in Division Three following their 4-4 draw with Broughton.

Just one match went to three games with Shaun Fardoe and Dave Roberts outgunning Charles Birkin and Andy Tustain 15-2 in the third.

Home club Holywell B enjoyed success over second placed Llangollen, winning comprehensively 6-2.

Dave Davies took the PoM award when, with partner Becky Booth, they outlasted visitors Tommy Sever and Jane Jones in a three game cliffhanger.

Llangollen went on to whitewash visitors Llanferres B who won just a single game when Tom Givelin and June Lovell went down in three hard fought games.