Badminton Railway widens gap

Press, 28 May 1979, Page 19

Badminton Railway widens gap

The gulf between Railway and the rest of the A grade badminton teams was again widened on Saturday at the Skellerup Hall when the top side crushed one of the potentially strongest sides, Knox. 8-0.

The gap between Railway and the second-placed team. South Brighton, is now 25 points To make that margin seem even more decisive is the fact that Railwax has already beaten South Brighton, 7-1, and beat the third-placed side Hagley 11. by the same margin. In the men’s singles match. Warren Edgecumbe lost his unbeaten record although he did have the consolation of being the only player this season lo have taken Geoff Miller to three games. Edgecumbe is a tireless chaser but found Miller’s greater range of shots too much in the deciding game.

“Mike Nolan continued his good form this season with a win over the experienced Eion Kirkland, while Pat Duckmanton and Robyn Erskine both had easy wins over the Kitchingham sisters in the women’s singles.

Only one doubles match went beyond two games, and that was the long women’s doubles match. Although the competition is only at the half-way stage there is already no doubt which club will win the title.

University picked up its first points since the opening round on April 7, when it lost, 6-2, to North Beach - Christchurch. Colin Goh and Grant Girdler had a good doubles win over David Ross and Mark Reid and Girdler after dropping the first game, comfortably beat Reid in his singles match.

South Brighton had its fifth win of the season on Saturday, beating Canterbury, 6-2. A minor surprise was the first loss of the competition for Ross and Christine Campbell, who went down to Don Le Page and Brenda Anderson ' in three games.

Hagley II continue to perform { well. On Saturday it beat Hagley i I, 6-2, to hold on to third place. David Bell was the only player to lose his singles match and also found himself beaten in the men's doubles contest. Points: Railway 93. South Brighton 68, Hagley II 65. Knox • 51, North Beach - Christchurch i 44, Hagley I 42, Canterbury 25- ■: University 4. Hagley I 2, Hagley I! 6. Singles. — C. Wasley lost to B. i Williams. 9-15, 9-15; S. Chambers: beat D. Bell. 11-15, 15-9, 15-10; ! Miss J. Hood lost to Miss K.i Burn 4-11, 2-11; Mrs C. Austin lost to Miss R. Keif. 5-11, 3-11. Doubles. — Wasley and< Chambers beat Bell and Wil-i Hams, 5-15. .18-14, 15-10; Miss? Hood and Mrs Austin lost to. Miss Burn and Miss Kerr. 12-15. i 17-18; Wasley and Miss Hood lost; to Williams and Kerr. 7-15. 7-15: i Chambers and Mrs Austin lost ' to Bell and Miss Burn 15-4, 8-15.! 15-11. University 2, North BeachChristchurch 6. Singles. — C. Goh lost to D. Ross, 10-15. 8-15; G. Girdler beat M. Reid, 10-15, 15-11, 15-3; Miss B. Laird lost to Miss A. Ross, 0-11. 0-11: Miss J. O’Brien lost to Miss J. Clarke, 3-11, 3-11. Doubles. — Goh and Girdler beat Ross and Reid. 15-13, 15-8; Miss Laird and Miss O’Brien lost to Miss Ross and Miss Clarke, 1-15. 0-15; Girdler and Miss Laird lost to Ross and Miss Ross. 5-15, 5-15; Goh and Miss O’Brien lost to Reid and Miss Clarke, 4-15. 5-15. Knox 0, Railway 8. .Singles. — W. Edgecumbe lost to G. A. Miller, 15-6, 9-15, 3-15; E. Kirkland lost to M. Nolan, 12-15, 11-15; Miss L. Kitchingham lost to Mrs P. Duckmanton, 1-11, 2-11; Miss D. Kitchingham lost to Mrs R. Erskine. 3-11, 5-11.

Doubles. — Edgecumbe and Kirkland lost to Miller and Nolan, 3-15, 1-15: Miss D. Kitchingham and Miss L. Kitchingham lost to Mrs Duckmanton

and Mrs Erskine, 15-9, 9-15, 7-15; i Edgecumbe and Miss 1.. Kitchingham lost to Miller and Mrs Duckmanton. 8-15, 10-15; Kirkland and; Miss D. Kitchingham lost to; Nolan and Mrs Erskine, 10-15, > 10South Brighton 6, Canterbury 2. Singles. — R. Campbell beat D. Le Page, 15-5. 15-7: L. Smith i lost- to P Burn. 14-17 15-5. 13-15; Mrs S. Chapman beat Mrs B. Anderson, 11-8, 11-8; Miss (. Campbell beat Mrs A. Smith.: 11- 11-4. Doubles. -- Campbell and • Smith beat Burn and Le Page.-9-15, 15-13, 15-11; Mrs Chapman and Miss Campbell beat Mrs Anderson and Mrs Smith. 15-4.. 15-5; Campbel! and Miss Camp- : bell lost io Le Page and Mrs' Anderson. 16-17. 15-4, 15-18:! Smith and Mrs Chapman beat Burn and Mrs Smith 15-11, 15-7.