BLACKFORD Bridge B slipped to bottom place in the Rossendale Badminton League Division One despite a brave showing at Fearns A.

A 14-4 defeat could have been much closer had Bridge had any luck in four 15-14 games - all of which went against them.

At the other end of the table, Broadway A made their customary move towards retaining their title with a couple of crushing wins against Badgercote A and Broadway B, neither of whom were able to register a single point.

Oakgate's tenure at the top of Division Two hangs by a thread after coming an absolute cropper at St Thomas where, even with a badly under-strength side, they might have expected better than a 17-1 drubbing.

Saints are now well in the hunt along with an improving Waterbarn A whose 13-5 win against Badgercote B was their third in a row.

In Division Three, Wesley Nomads recovered some lost ground with a 17-1 crushing of Haslingden to move back into second spot ahead of Goodshaw who, leading 9-7 after a ding-dong battle, dropped the final pair of points and had to settle for a share of the spoils with St Philip's.

Results - Division One: Badgercote A (96) 0, Broadway A (270) 18; Fearns A (246) 14, Blackford Bridge B (173) 4; Broadway B (118) 0, Broadway A (270) 18.

Division Two: Waterbarn A (259) 13, Badgercote B (156) 5; St Thomas (268) 17, Oakgate (132) 1.

Division Three: Wesley Nomads (269) 17, Haslingden (70) 1; Goodshaw (213) 9, St Philip's (212) 9.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.