Lydgate in badminton final blow

BADMINTON:

ALPHA ‘B’ edged out Lydgate ‘A’ 417-5-378 in the final of the Paul Prajapati Memorial Trophy handicap.

Both Oldham and Rochdale Badminton League teams had fought hard in previous rounds, with Lydgate seeing off Kashmir ‘B’, Lancashire Racquets and Y Club, and Alpha getting the better of Bury Topflight, Alpha ‘A’, Saddleworth ‘A’ and Kashmir ‘A’.

Ali Grimshaw and Nick Leech started well for Lydgate in the first two games of the final, restricting Andrew Brierley and Phil Worthington to 11 in each.

Oliver Greensmith and Rick Watson hit back in the next game by notching 15 points but could not stop Terry Hevicon and Neal Barnes winning the next 21-7.

Alpha enjoyed some high scores, Damon Conway and Michael Baker taking 16 against Martin Noble and Richard Power.

Lydgate led the way for most of the contest but, as they play in the division above Alpha, the handicap was added and Alpha had done enough to win.