Ormskirk put on a fine show to beat West End in second division

IT was a near-perfect start to a new season for Mawdesley’s first team after their 7-1 win over Southport in the opening week of the Master Lock and Safe Southport and District Badminton League.

The path to securing a hattrick of first division titles is already underway, as Mawdesley look strong.

As for last season’s runnersup Woodvale, they suffered a 6-2 loss to fellow championship contenders Victoria Hall.

With both sides hoping to put a dent in Mawdesley’s path to success, Victoria Hall have already shown early signs of leading the charge.

Another side that would happily put their hat in the ring, are Churchtown who are looking to make up for their struggles last season. They produced a white-wash 8-0 win over newly promoted side Southsands.

It was a slightly better outing for the other promoted side Victoria Hall II. They managed to avoid the clean sweep in their 7-1 defeat to a Woodvale II side that could cause the most problems with the main contenders.

In the fourth division, Churchtown IV mirrored their first team with an 8-0 win over West End Park III. After being crowned fifth division champions last spring, they already show early signs of contending to moving into division three.

Also coming out winners were Ormskirk III, who battled hard in their 5-3 win over Formby II.

There was a surprise winning-draw for a Woodvale VI side, who are still reeling from their astonishing late promotion from the fifth division.

They managed to snatch vital points against Southsands III.

The success for Churchtown just kept on coming, as their fifth team’s 8-0 win over Southport VII has put them top of the sixth division.

Looking to cause problems with that target are Southsands IV, who also rued their missed chances on promotion. They began their campaign with a tougher than expected 5-3 win over a Burscough Pioneers IV side who recently got promoted from the league’s seventh division.

Also coming out victors in the opening week were Hesketh Bank III and Crosby II. They both won 6-2 against St. Cuthberts IV and Southport VIII respectively.

Already, the fifth division looks to be the most competitive and unpredictable. It saw both promoted sides claim victory. While sixth division champions Woodvale VII edged out 5-3 winners over Formby Methodist, Ormskirk IV managed to take a winning draw against Southport VI.

It was a year to forget for Southport V last season, as it saw them relegated from the fourth division. However, they look to make a swift return after a well fought 5-3 win over Hesketh Bank II.

But for Tarleton IV, a third place finish last season now means nothing after they could only take one point off Burscough Pioneers’ third team, who confirmed a winning draw.

Another side putting themselves into the mix are St. Cuthberts III, who toughed it out in a 5-3 win over Mawdesley V.

Another division looking hard to predict, is the third division. Currently, the frontrunners are Burscough Pioneers II after they comfortably saw off newly promoted side Tarleton III by winning 6-2.

As for fourth division champions Crosby, life in the third division is already suiting them after they toppled Churchtown’s third team 5-3.

Other sides making positives starts are Ormskirk II, Woodvale IV and Mawdesley III, who all secured winning-draws over Southsands II, Tarleton II and St. Cuthberts respectively.

After dominating the third division last season, Ormskirk’s first team are already setting the pace in the second division. Their 8-0 win over West End Park II has already put them at the top of the table.

Be sure to check out the league’s official website, www. southportbadminton.com. Also, like the Facebook page.