Uphill Badminton Club

ELEVEN YEAR OLD KIRBY SHINES FOR UPHILL

Uphill Badminton Club had another good week; with the 'B' and 'E' teams winning and the 'C' team losing a closely contended match. The 'B' team were playing at home to Nailsea & Yatton 'A' in Division 2 of the North Somerset League and won a close competitive match by 5 rubbers to 4. The team of, Christy Langford, Brian Hadley, Denise Burton (Capt.), Rob Morray, Kirby Cheung and Wai Cheung all played well. It was not a good start to the match for Uphill as they lost two of the three mixed rubbers. In the first mixed Christy & Brian started well winning the first game 21-19, but then fell away losing the next two 16-21, 8-21. Denise & Rob then hit back by winning a tough second mixed 21-17, 17-21, 21-14. In the third mixed, Wai playing with his eleven year old daughter Kirby (who was standing in for Teresa Davison), lost their first game 11-21, but then played well in the second game only to lose 19-21. This was followed by a good win in the first ladies as Christy & Denise beat Kathy Alexander & Terry O'Shea 21-11, 21-17. The second ladies saw Christy & Kirby combine well. Even though the opposition played on Kirby, she was able to hold her own and with encouragement from Christy, gain in confidence for them to win comfortably 21-14, 21-18. In the third ladies Denise and Kirby gave a good account of themselves before losing 12-21, 13-21. In the first mens Brian & Rob won easily 21-17, 21-8. Brian & Wai lost the second mens rubber 12-21, 19-21. Rob & Wai then won the last mens rubber 21-8, 21-16 to take the match. Rob Morray was the only player to win all his rubbers with good support from Denise, Brian and Wai. This was a really good match in which it was great to see, young eleven-year-old Kirby, who is Uphills youngest player to feature in a senior league team, hold her own at this level and indeed win a rubber with Christy. This augers well for the future and will hopefully be the first of many wins for Kirby in the Uphill senior league teams. The 'C' team were at home to top of the division Clevedon Feathers 'B' and lost a close match by 6 rubbers to 3. Four of the rubbers went to three games and all but the ladies rubbers were close. The team of Ruth Harding, Robert Cole, Julie O'Sullivan, Matt Valentine, Maureen Matthews (Capt.) and Tom Higgins all played well. This was a match in which the Clevedon Feathers ladies were stronger than those of Uphill and won all their ladies rubbers comfortably. The mixed and mens rubbers were however all very close. Clevedon Feathers started well with Vicky Gigg & Nick Joyce beating Ruth & Rob 21-16, 21-18 in the first mixed. The second mixed saw Trudi Hodges & Dan George beat Julie & Matt 15-21, 21-14, 10-21. Uphill then struck back with Maureen & Tom winning a hard fought third mixed 18-21, 23-21, 21-17. Uphill then won the first mens with Rob & Matt beating Nick & Dan 21-19, 21-19. The second mens saw Rob & Tom start well by winning the first game comfortably 21-16 but then lost their way losing the next two 18-21, 19-21. Tom & Matt then won the last mens after a hard tussle 19-21, 21-16, 21 18 to end an enjoyable and competitive nights badminton. The only players to win all their rubbers were Vicky Gigg & Trudi Hodges of Clevedon Feathers, with support from Debz George, Dan George and Nick Joyce. The photo shows the happy 'C' team led by Captain Maureen Matthews. L to R: - Maureen, Tom, Julie, Rob, Ruth and Matt. The 'E' team, were playing away to Tickenham and won by 5 rubbers to 4. Due to the venue this was not the normal team of juniors but a mixed team of mature experienced players with two juniors and consisted of Lynn Pope, Andrew Potts (Capt.), Caroline Poole, Pete Rybaruk, Helen Woodfin and Sourish Ganadathi. Tickenham started well with Gillian Campell & John Purcell winning the first mixed rubber 21-19, 21-17. Uphill then struck back with Caroline & Pete winning the next mixed comfortably 21-11, 21-14. Helen & Sourish then continued the good work by winning a hard fought third mixed 24-22, 21-18. The Uphill ladies worked hard and had some close games but were unable to win any of the ladies rubbers. The Uphill men however were made to work hard with two of the three rubbers going to three games but eventually managed to win all three rubbers. The only players to win all their rubbers, were, Pete Rybaruk and Sourish Ganadathi, with good support from Caroline, Helen and Andrew.