Uphill Badminton Club’s B team lost for the first time this year, going down 6-3 to Clevedon Feathers.

UPHILL Badminton Club’s A and B teams were in action with the A team making a good start to the New Year and the B team losing for the first time this season.

The A team were away to bottom of the Division Frys B and the team of Paul Edwards, Matt Cole, Mark Edwards (captain), Ellie Jewell, Christy Langford and Becky Halfpenny won by nine rubbers to nil.

This was a one-sided match in which the opposition did not get to double figures in five of the rubbers. Only one rubber proved competitive and that was the second ladies in which Jane Guy and Viv Nash lost to Ellie and Becky 18-21, 19-21.

The B team were away to Clevedon Feathers B and lost by 6-3. The team, missing their first man, was Emily Page-Symonds, Matt Potts, Harriet Birt, Robin Curry, Steph Hadley and captain Rob Morray.

The evening started well for Uphill with Emily and Matt winning the first mixed rubber in straight games. The Clevedon second mixed pair of Nicola Wall and Jason Reading, won a hard-fought second mixed rubber against Harriet and Robin 21-9, 19-21, 21-10. Clevedon Feathers also won the final mixed rubber.

All the ladies’ matches were competitive, with Clevedon winning the first and third rubbers, which were dominated by the play of Nicola Wall. Emily and Steph won the second rubber.

The same pattern emerged in the men’s rubbers with Reading dominating the first and third rubbers and Matt and Rob winning the second. The only players to win all their rubbers were Nicola Wall and Jason Reading.

Despite the loss, Uphill B are still 13 points clear of their nearest rivals, Nailsea & Backwell A and Clevedon Feathers B, with all three teams having played six matches with four each left to play.