AFTER missing out on promotion by just one point last year, BATs Badminton Club were determined to start off the season in division 3 of the Plymouth and District Badminton League with a win.
The first match saw the University team visit Bere Alston and find out just how difficult it is to win there.
In the men's rubbers James Cooper and Alan Berry led the way with a morale boosting win 15-2, 17-16 over the University men.
Though the second game looked close James and Alan had it under control for most of the time and only put themselves out when it was really necessary.
The second rubbers saw James Cooper and Mike Ward lose out narrowly in the first game to the University pair 15-17 but they were unable to create openings in the second game, which they lost 9-15.
The third rubber saw Alan Berry and Mike Ward working hard to repair the damage of losing the second rubber. The first game was taken comfortably 15-4 but the University pair came back to match Alan and Mike point-for-point all the way through to 14-points all.
With the decision to set or not resting with the BAT's pair they elected to play to 15, a good choice as they took the game and rubber 15-14.
In the ladies' rubbers Becky Ward was playing her first match for the BATs. She had to sit out the first rubber in which Susie Povey and Lizzie Rae demonstrated how to play with a well worked 15-7, 5-8 win over the University pair.
The second rubber saw Susie Povey and Becky Ward take the University pair to the cleaners with an encouraging 15-0, 5-2 win.
The third rubber saw Lizzie Rae and Becky Ward build on the last rubber with a second crushing defeat of a University pair 15-1, 15-1.
With only the mixed doubles rubbers to go BATs were already leading University by five rubbers to one. The first of the mixed rubbers saw James Cooper and Becky Ward work well together and take it 15-6, 15-7.
Alan Berry and Susie Povey then continued the good work with a comfortable 15-5, 15-4 rubber win.
The final rubber saw Mike Ward and Lizzie Rae resume their doubles partnership after a missed season when they were playing in different divisions.
It took the pair time to settle and the first game went the way of the University pair 14-15. Mike and Lizzie then put together a run of points that had the University reeling, as they had no answer.
In the end Mike and Lizzie turned the tables so much they took the next two games and the rubber 15-0, 15-5.
At the end of the evening the BATs team had achieved what they had wanted to with a crushing 8-1 win over the University side.