A twist in Park derby.

Byline: DAVID LOCKWOOD 

BEAUMONT Park's B and C teams clashed in this Huddersfield Badminton League Division VI opener, which had rather a bizarre twist to it.

For with a number of Beaumont Park's C team having to play up in the B side, it left the C team without a third man, which meant they had to concede three of the games!

And that ensured it was unlikely there would be a repeat of last season, when the C team beat their own B side in both meetings.

In the men's opener, B team captain Lewis James and Chris Barton beat Robert Hardcastle and Simon Smith in straight games, and then had rather pointless walkovers in the next two games.

Hardcastle, who is still only 16 and has only played a handful of games, showed plenty of promise and determination playing with Smith, who was making his debut in the Huddersfield League, and both could take heart from their performance.

In the Ladies, Margaret Siswick and debutant Becky Gill took Janet Thorpe and Kath Joynson to three sets in their rubber, before Siswick teamed up with the returning Abby Steele to win a tough rubber against Thorne and Jo Barton and give the C team their only point of the night.

The B team then took both the Mixed matches - the third again having to be conceded.

One must feel some sympathy for the C team, who must have fell demoralised having to concede three games, and with it the match, through no fault of their own having been stripped of their players.

Division VI: Beaumont Park B 8 Beaumont Park C 1. Men: Lewis James & Chris Barton bt Robert Hardcastle & Simon Smith 21-11, 21-10; B team walkover next two rubbers.

Ladies: Janet Thorpe & Kath Joynson bt Margaret Siswick & Becky Gill 16-21, 21-15, 21-14; Thorpe & Jo Barton lost to Siswick & Abby Steele 21-23, 20-22; Joynson & Barton bt Gill and Steele 21-13, 21-9. MIxed: James & Joynson bt Hardcastle & Siswick 21-10, 21-11; Barton & Thorpe bt Smith & Gill 21-10, 21-16; walkover.

. Huddersfield Eagles Junior Club held a very successful Open Day at Newsome Sports College with a number of new players signed up for the coaching sessions.

The Open Day included mini-coaching sessions, demonstrations by Eagles players, and the highlight, a doubles demonstration by current England international Marcus Ellis, partnered by Yorkshire player Ron Mellor and England doubles players Julian Priestly and Mark Golds, who also gave advice and signed autographs.

Eagles club chairman and coach Mike Hall said: "It's been a really successful day. We've seen some new faces and we've even managed to get some of the parents playing.

"It was also fantastic for our players to meet and talk to the England players, especially Marcus and Julian as they are local. It certainly gives our players something to aspire to."

Huddersfield Eagles provide junior coaching on a Sunday morning at Newsome High Sports College from beginners level right through to advanced.

CAPTION(S):

VALLEY C: the St James C line-up (from left) Douglas Fletcher, Andy Ward, Austin Paul, Jayne Walker and Helen Fay. (PC220909Dbadminton) VALLEY A: the St James A string (from left) Julian Priestley, Dennis Goodridge, Ron Mellor, Alexandra Loy and Sue Leigh. (:PC220909Dbadminton)