HORRABRIDGE Badminton Club recently played BAT's in a friendly match to give some of the juniors from both clubs experience of match play with and against adults.

In the men's doubles rubbers the first proved to be close with only two points separating the two pairs over the three games. James Cooper and David Harrington for BAT's took the rubber 15-12, 12-15, 15-13 against Alan Berry and Paul Bitton of Horrabridge.

The second men's doubles rubber saw 12-year-old David Williams partner Alan Berry for Horrabridge against James Cooper and Mike Ward for BAT's. The first game was hard fought with James and Mike taking it 15 -12, following it with a 15-2 game to take the rubber for BAT's.

The third saw Paul Bitton and David Williams for Horrabridge take on David Harrington and Mike Ward for BAT's. Though Paul and David played well the power of David and Mike started to come through and the BAT's pair took the rubber 15-9, 15-7.

In the ladies' doubles rubbers only one of the six players had played match badminton and so the rubbers was going to be a new experience for every pair.

In the first doubles rubber Celia Williams and Emily Blackmore of Horrabridge took on Frances Ward and Amy Madaford of BAT's. The first game went the way of the BAT's pair 15-6.

The Horrabridge pair then started to get their game play together and fought hard for every point until they took the second game 15-13 to take the rubber into a final decisive game. The rubber went the way of the BAT's pair 15-11 but only after good play by the Horrabridge pair.

The second ladies' doubles rubber was a more one-sided rubber with the BAT's pair of Frances Ward and Charlotte Channon beating Celia Williams and Nikki Bitton 15-5, 15-3.

The third ladies' doubles rubber was to see Horrabridge's only rubber win of the evening when Emily Blackmore and Nikki Bitton won comfortably against Amy Madaford and Charlotte Channon 15-11, 15-10.

In the mixed doubles rubbers, Alan Berry withdrew to allow Brian Gilbert of Callington Badminton Club play with Celia Williams against James Cooper and Frances Ward for BAT's.

Having never played together before, it took time for Brian and Celia to settle. The first game proved to be rather one-sided with James and Frances running away with it 15-8.

Brian and Celia came back in the second game to run James and Frances close but they lost out to the BAT's pair 15-13.

The second mixed doubles rubber saw David Harrington partner Amy Maddaford for BAT's and Paul Bitton partner Emily Blackmore for Horrabridge. David and Amy soon gained control of the rubber and took it comfortably 15-4, 15-7.

The third mixed doubles rubber saw Mike Ward partner Charlotte Channon for BAT's and David Williams partner Nikki Bitton for Horrabridge. It took a long time for Mike and Charlotte to gain the advantage and the first game proved to be long and hard with Mike and Charlotte only taking it 15-12 in the last few points.

The second game was more one-sided with Mike and Charlotte taking it and the rubber 15 - 4.

Though BAT's had won by 8 rubbers to 1 the Horrabridge players came away pleased with their play. Five players between the two clubs had not played match badminton before and had been introduced to playing with and against league players.