Uphill Badminton Club lose heavily to their Kent visitors.

UPHILL Badminton Club took on Trident, the strongest team in the Tunbridge Wells area, in the third match of an on-going battle.

With Uphill having edged the first two matches, Trident hit back in style, winning by nine rubbers to three.

The enlarged format saw an eight-a-side match, constructed in a best of 12 challenge, being four mixed, four ladies’ and four men’s.

Tridents first pair of Jenny Cross and Peter Fuller got the match off to a fine start for the visitors, beating Uphill’s Becky Matthews and Paul Edwards (unbeaten in three years in North Somerset Division 1).

Uphill replied with Christy Langford and Matt Cole winning a tight rubber against Catherine Hayward and Patrick Fuller. Trident moved into a 3-1 lead with comfortable wins in the third and fourth mixed rubbers.

Uphill hit back in the opening men’s and ladies’ rubbers with Becky Matthew and Christy Langford easing to victory. Then came the showpiece match of the afternoon with Trident brothers Peter and Patrick taking on Uphill first pair of Paul Edwards and Matt Cole.

Starting strongly, the Trident pair cruised through the first game. Paul and Matt upped their game taking the second and closing out the decider 21-17. This bought the match level at 3-3, but this was the end of the joy for Uphill.

In the remaining three ladies’ doubles, led by captain Jenny Cross, Trident took charge, winning all three.

The men’s were a far closer affair. The Uphill second pairing of Paul Edwards and Alex Mole had a tough battle, losing in three. Alex and Rob Morray lost another close rubber and the day was concluded in another hard tussle with Matt and Rob losing in three, leaving Trident as 9-3 winners after a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon’s badminton.

Thanks again must go to Trident’s Jenny Cross and Uphill’s Mark Edwards for organising the trip and making sure everything went smoothly. The overall position now stands at 2-1 to Uphill until the next encounter later in the year.