PHOENIX Flames Seconds kept their title challenge on track in the Mixed First Division of the Southend & District Badminton Association as they won their penultimate match of the season 7-2 against Westcliff Seconds.

They were helped by the fact that Westcliff could not field a third pairing which put them 3-0 up.

Sara Thompson and Russell Dobson won their other two rubbers on the day while Jay Clark and Carly Horsler and Jill Beaver and Danny Peach won one each to make sure of a comfortable victory.

Barbara Childs and Isaac Pearson helped Westcliff to the two points as they remain in third.

Second placed FitzWimarc Thirds did not put a foot wrong as they thumped Eastwood 9-0 to make it six wins from eight in the Mixed First.

Gary Curtis and Emma Dixon, Tarun Goel and Donna Venables and Bishnu Ale and Chloe Peacham all secured hat-tricks with the latter not dropping a game.

Laura Whiteman and Adrian Watling came closest to grabbing a point for the visitors.

The other match in the Mixed First Division this week saw SLH Rayleigh record an 8-1 win away at Phoenix Flames Thirds.

Peter Hall and Jan Watt and Andrew Strutt and Judy Slater both picked up three perfect rubbers and were supported by a brace from Caroline Fletcher and Joe Garnett.

Tim Baskett and Kana Hazlewood got the point for the Flames.

SLH move up to fourth while Phoenix Thirds stay bottom.

There were also three matches in the Men’s Premier as the battle for the title continued.

League leaders FitzWimarc made it six wins from seven this season with a 7-2 win over Riverside.

Phil Tuffee and Paul Chaplin bagged a hat-trick while Ryan Pinnock and Alan Adkins and Freddie Kemble-Jones and Daniel Batchelor picked up doubles.

Andy Brown and Tom Grafton got the points for Riverside who finish their season with four wins and four losses, currently in second.

Third placed Westcliff are the only side that can catch FitzWimarc now and they made it five wins from six with an 8-1 victory over B & BP.

They started 3-0 up due to an ineligible pair from the visitors and Adam Sibley and Isaac Pearson and Matt Ross and David Clark won two each on the night with one from Russell Blunt and Lee Scott.

Adam Cooper and Daniel Potter secured the rubber for B & BP.

Before these two matches, B & BP met Riverside with lots of tight games finishing in a 5-4 victory for Riverside.

Matt Lawrence and Jack Webster won all three of their rubbers and were supported by a brace from Raff Pratheek-Badrinath and Sridhar Ramasubramonian.

Ven Vundavalli and Josh Evertt got two rubbers for B & BP with one each from Adam Cooper and Daniel Potter and Nick Harbott and Paul Hyde.

There were two matches in the Men’s First Division for SLH Rayleigh.

In the first they picked up a first win of the season as they beat Blenheim 7-2.

Adam Whiting and Peter Hall picked up a hat-trick while Andrew Strutt and Ian Moorcroft and Joe Garnett and Tom Negus both secured two rubbers each.

Chris Roberts and Nish Tanna helped Blenheim to their two points as they drop to the bottom in place of SLH.

The second match was a defeat though to league leaders Phoenix Flames.

It ended 8-1 after Ben Bradford and Greg Roffey and Danny Peach and Humaid Ghori won three perfect rubbers while Alex Cheung and Jay Clark secured two rubbers.

Tom Negus and Joe Garnett helped SLH to their point.

The Flames are now one win from the title while SLH move up to second for now.

Down in the Men’s Second Division, Westcliff Seconds closed in on league leaders Hawkwell with a 6-3 victory over them.

John Pearson and Oaklen Beaven secured a perfect hat-trick while Isaac Pearson and Dhakshin Gopalakrishnan bagged a brace and Russell Blunt and Dillon Young won one.

Gavin Lewis and Tim Rainbow picked up two rubbers for the Hawks with the other from Russell Dobson and Matt Smyth.

Victory for Westcliff in their last match will secure the title.

Finally, B & BP moved off the bottom of the Ladies First Division with a 5-1 win over winless Phoenix Flames Seconds.

Katherine Taylor and Emma Potter both won all three of their rubbers for the home side.

Kiv Gray and Corinne Telling helped the Flames to their point as they drop to the foot of the table.

Player of the Week – Peter Hall

Team of the Week – FitzWimarc Thirds (Mixed 1)