A team of six from the North Somerset Badminton League won the inaugural Newmarch Trophy.

North Somerset Badminton League took part in a six-team, six-a-side ladies’ doubles tournament held at Wellsway School, Keynsham, playing for the Newmarch Trophy.

The event was the brainchild of Will Mellersh in memory of Rob Newmarch. Rob sadly passed away last year and ladies’ participation in senior badminton was one of his key aims.

The competing teams were from North Somerset League, Bristol League, Avon Masters, Avon Allstars, Bristol Uni and UWE.

The North Somerset team were Kelly Fairy (Mendipway) Nicola Wall (Clevedon Feathers) Christy Cole (Uphill) Penny and Becci Scott (Chew Valley), Heather Wrigglesworth (Frys) and Bron Wotton.

The NSBL ladies set off like an express train in match 1 against the Avon Masters.

The team of Kelly, Nicola, Heather, Penny, Christy and Becci were in scintillating form and ran out 12-0 winners

In the second match against a highly-talented Bristol league outfit, the ladies were in no mood to ease off. The team of Kelly, Christy, Nicola, Bron, Heather and Penny turned on the style in not dropping a game again.

The third game against Bristol Uni also turned out to be a whitewash, with the team of Nicola, Bron, Kelly, Becci, Heather and Penny brushing aside the youngsters to make it a hat-trick.

Against their closest rivals Avon Allstars, the team of Nicola, Bron, Heather, Christy, Kelly and Becci were once more on a different level to come through 11-1 victors, only the talented Manley sisters Lucy and Anna taking a game off Nicola and Bron.

In the last match, the NSBL team of Nicola, Bron, Kelly, Becci, Christy and Penny finished the job in style. With UWE a lady down, the match was down to eight games with NSBL winning 6-2, with Kelly and Becci having a great match against Clara and Becky Cox 14-15, 15-14, and Becci and Christy ending one each versus Clara and Jo.

This left the NSBL ladies as clear winners with five wins and a highly impressive 53 games out of 56 on the day.

Players of the day went to Heather Wrigglesworth and Penny Scott for winning all of their games.

It was a fitting tribute that the NSBL team, where Rob played a lot of his badminton, won the inaugural event, and further still two Chew Valley players, Becci and Penny were part of the winning team.