Junior Badminton Report 7.2.10
The matches and tournaments against English opposition are always difficult but NEW players continue to fight hard. The English U15 Silver was no exception. In the boys singles quarters Matthew Vacher (Denbigh/Wales) lost to John Spawton (Dorset) 9-15, 10-15 and Adam Stewart (Wrexham/Wales) lost a thrilling 3-setter 16-18, 15-13, 12-15 to Mantej Bahra (Leicester). In the doubles Vacher and Stewart were second in their group matches, only losing to the eventual winners J Wild and P Mairs (Cheshire) 12-15, 15-11, 11-15.
In the girls singles no-one got to the knock out stage but Isabelle Cain (CQ) was the most successful with a win over Caroline Dawid-Paluch (Lancashire) 15-8, 15-13. In the doubles Jessica Faulkner (Penyffordd) teamed up with K Muddell (Shropshire) came second in their group; Cain and Ellen Liddle (Castell Alun) came third in theirs.
In the Shires League the U13 team are having a tough time. They were beaten 17-3 by Staffordshire but the three victories were the result of really gutsy performances. Scott Oates (Deeside) played with skill and determination to win second singles 21-11, 21-15 against James Ball.Beth McLellan won a superb 3-setter at first singles 21-17, 19-21, 21-14.She was put under heavy pressure in the second game but, in the third, cut out errors and moved Nancy Harley around the court very effectively, particularly pushing Harley deep into the backhand corner to force mistakes. McLellan and Bethan Sudder (Mold) beat the second girls doubles pair Alice Amstein and Amy Dewar 21-12, 23-21.
back l-r Tonicha Font, Beth McLellan, Amy Jukes, Beth Sudder, Cerys Brackenbury
Front l-r Iwan Pullen, Jack Griffiths, David Palmer, Scott Oates, Martin Smith-Aldous
Earlier the U13s beat Shropshire 11-9 in a close, exciting match. The opposition girls were very strong winning the girls singles 4-0 and doubles 3-1. McLellan and Sudder won their doubles 21-12, 23-21. NEW boys had the edge winning all the singles though Martin Smith-Aldous (Deeside) only just won 18-21, 21-19, 21-13 and Iwan Pullen (Buckley) had a real battle to win 21-10, 25-23.
NEW won the four doubles; Oates and Smith-Aldous had a close call winning 14-21, 21-13, 21-18. The mixed was halved with Oates and McLellan winning the top match 21-15, 21-15 and David Palmer and Tonicha Font (Mold) won at third 21-17, 21-19.
This week's Junior Badminton League fixture was held at Deeside College. As was expected, Connah's Quay came back with all their teams at full strength after their disastrous day at the last fixture and won Divisions 2, 3, and 5. All three teams won both their matches in their respective divisions.
Castell Alun A found the view from the heights of Division 2 a bit too tough, losing both their matches 0-6. Castell AlunB team preserved the club's honour winning both their matches in Div.4 thus winning the division and gained promotion to join their demoted A team in Div.3.
Buckley A & B held their places in their respective divisions but their C team excelled in Division 6 crushing the opposition to gain promotion to Div.5.
Prestatyn A ran out winners of Division 1 with Mold A runners-up, both with 2 wins.
A good young Deeside team lost 2-4 to Mold A in a very close match; three games were won by a single point. They managed to hold their place in Division 1 at the expense of Mold B; they had the same points but Deeside won on games count back.