Uphill Badminton Club’s B team secured promotion to Division 1 of the North Somerset League with victory over Winscombe.

UPHILL Badminton Club’s B team defeated Winscombe A to secure promotion to Division 1 of the North Somerset League.

The successful team of Uphill consisted of Emily Page-Symmonds, Becky Falwasser, Stephanie Hancocks, Will Hollis, Robin Curry and Rob Morray.

The match began with the mixed doubles with Emily and Will winning 2-0. It was closely fought in the remaining two rubbers with Becky and Robin taken to three games by Winscombe’s Juliet Dormer and Steven Dowden. Uphill’s Steph and Rob lost in three tight games against Sarah Humberstone and Richard Gray.

The ladies’ doubles began with a three game rubber with Emily and Becky winning against Winscombe’s Charlie Scott and Dormer. The remaining ladies were dominated by Winscombe winning 2-0 in both rubbers. Humberstone was the pick of the ladies, winning all three rubbers in the match.

The men’s doubles decided the outcome of the match in Uphill’s favour. Will Hollis won all his rubbers, but was taken to three games with Robin Curry by Winscombe’s Oliver Dormer and Dowden.

At this stage of the match the scores were level at 4-4 with one rubber to play. Robin and Rob dominated the final rubber, ensuring Robin won all his rubbers.

This completes a very successful season for the B team in winning all but one match and they join the A team with the fiercely competitive elite of badminton in the county.

Uphill A team played their final match of the season as champions against their closest rivals over the last decade, Clevedon Feathers A team.

Throughout the match it was level pegging until the final rubber. So with the score at 4-4, it was down to the last men’s doubles to decide the outcome. With probably the top four players in the North Somerset League facing each other, a superb feast of badminton took the rubber to three games.

Paul Edwards and Matt Cole of Uphill won the first game 22-20. However, Clevedon narrowly took the next two games to decide the match by winning five rubbers to four.

This was the first loss of the season for Uphill A team, who remained champions for the 11th consecutive year.

Uphill E team played at home to Chew Valley B team with great success. The Uphill team consisting of juniors had a superb 5-4 victory after getting off to a difficult start, losing the first two mixed doubles.

Uphill’s Tom Miller and Lelia Whitehouse took the third rubber to make it 2-1. All three of the men’s doubles were won by Uphill with their most consistent and mature display of badminton this season.

This left the ladies’ doubles needing to pick up one rubber for the match and this was achieved by Anna Collins and Lelia winning 21-19 in the third game of their rubber.