Win gives Railway badminton lead

Press, 8 May 1978, Page 15

Win gives Railway badminton lead

fcal!»ay regained the lead im the A grade badminton competi-i flor on Saturday when it had I les- trouble than usual in beating tti old rival, Knox, seven matches to one. Such a heavy loss extinguished tfce last hopes Knox might have Had of being any higher than third when the first round is eotrpleted at the end of this Railway now has 87 points, six Bore than North Beach I, which bad the bye on Saturday. The tU-.e is already set for a keen battle when these two teams Meet in the last ties of the first I on Mav 27. ' Knox’s heavy defeat was a little surprising in view of the: lorn: of its men in particular' at the recent Anzac Day open i tournament. Then Warren Edge-1 combe Knox, beat Geoff Miller (Railway ’ for a place In the | Iren’s singles semi-finals and Edgecumbe and Eoin Kirkland bad an impressive win over>

: Millei and Lindsay Robinson in : the men s doubles final. On Saturday these results were reversed. Miller had little difficulty beating Edgecumbe in straight games and it was only in the latter stages of the second same that Edgecumbe and Kirkland had Miller and Robinson under any pressure. Knox’s only win was achieved by Kirkland, who beat Robinson in a tough three-game battle, and although Robinson was below his best Kirkland played some good shots and deservedly ended a singles losing streak. Without at least two singles wins to boost its confidence, Knox was no match for Railway | in the doubles. All four matches 'were decisively won. North Beach U. which is I threatening to replace Knox in third place, continued its goodj I run with a 6-2 win over Canter-1 bury I. In the other games Hagley II • was too steady for Canterbury

11 and won, 6-2. Hagley II beat University on a points countback after the matches had been shared, four each. Points: Railway 67. North Beach I 61. Knox 49. North Beach II 47, Hagley I 32, Hagley II 27, Canterbury I 19, Canterbury II 18. University 16. Results:

Hagley I 6, Canterbury II 2 Singles: B. Williams beat C. Goh, 15-4. 15-8; C. Wasley beat D. Le Page. 7-15. 15-7, 15-12; K. Burn lost to N. Jacobs, 11-9, 4-11, 1 11; J. Hood beat E. Barry. 11-1, 11-1.

Doubles: Williams and Wasley lost to Goh and Le Page, 18-15, 11-15, 14-17; Burn and Hood beat Jacobs and Barry, 15-18, 15-8; Williams and Hood beat Goh and Jacobs. 15-10., 15-7: Wasley and Bum beat Le Page and Barry. 17-15. 18-13, 18-14. Knox 1. Railway 7

Singles: W. Edgecumbe lost to G. A. Miller, 5-15, 11-15; E. Kirk'land beat L. Robinson, 18-16. 9-15. 15-11; J. Miles lost to G. Waller, 4- 2-11; G. Brookes lost to P. Duckmanton, 5-11, 3-11. Doubles: Edgecumbe and Kirkland lost to Miller and Robinson, 6-15, 13-15: Miles and Brookes lost to Waller and Duckmanton, 5- 7-15: Edgecumbe and Miles lost to Miller and Duckmanton, 12-15, 5-15; Kirkland and Brookes lost to Robinson and Waller. 7-15, 4-15. University 4, Haglev II 4

Singles: C. J. Chong lost to P. Boatwood. 8-15, 13-18: P. C. Chua lost to R. Campbell. 6-15, 4-15; E. Chan beat R. Kerr, 11-7, 11-2: L. Kitchingham beat C. Austin. 11-3. 11-6.

Doubles: Chong and Chua lost to Boatwood and Campbell, 7-15. 7 15: Chan and Kitchingham beat Austin and Kerr, 15-10. 15-8: Chon* and Chan Inst to Camnbell and Kerr, 6-15, 15-8, 3-15; Chua and Kitchingham heat Boatwood and Austin. 3-15, 15-12. 15-3. North Beach II 6, Canterbury I 2

Singles: M. Nolan lost to B. Wilson, 6-15, 7-15; G. McWilliams beat P. M. Burn. 15-2, 15-9: R. Erskine beat A. Smith, 11-1, 11-7; R. Ritchie beat V. St Merat, 11-3, 11-1.

Doubles: Nolan and McWilliams lost to W’ilson and Burn, 12-15, 11-15; Erskine and Ritchie beat Smith and St Merat, 15-10, 15-5; Nolan and Erskine beat Wilson and Smith, 15-13. 6-15, 17-16; McWilliams and Ritchie beat Burn and St Merat, 15-3, 15-6.