Disappointing finish for HK Badminton

Last Saturday was the final round of North Island Inter-Assoiciation Badminton competition for the Horowhenua Kāpiti 1 and 2 teams.
In Division 4 competition, the HK 1 team travelled to Hamilton and took on Counties Manukau in their first tie. The team made a strong start with Mike Robertson, Dave Greaves, Mark Branagh and Johnny Snow all winning their mens singles matches, while Stephanie Robb also won her ladies singles. The mens doubles combinations of Branagh / Snow, and Robertson / Mark Nicholls won both of their matches, but unfortunately both ladies doubles went to the Counties side.
Out of the 4 mixed doubles matches remaining, Mike Robertson and Verity Potter were the only combination to win. This left the score tied at 8 all, with victory going to Counties by way of a 17-16 countback on sets won.
In the second tie HK took on a strong Northland side and started well with all 4 men again winning their respective singles matches. The doubles matches were a different story however, with the mens combination of Branagh / Snow being the only ones to claim victory for HK. Moving into the mixed doubles, the combination of Teree Brown / Dave Greaves won their match, and Verity Potter / Mike Robertson continued their season long unbeaten winning streak to claim another victory. With everything hinging on the last match of the day, the HK team couldn’t manage to pull off a victory, leaving the final score at 9-7 to Northland.
In Division 5 competition, the HK 2 team travelled to Rotorua and played Hawkes Bay in their first tie. Unfortunately things didn’t go well for the HK side, going down 13-3.
The HK team managed to turn things around in the second tie against Thames Valley, with Paul Knighton, Scott Dewar, Mike Newman and Joe Zukaria all winning their mens singles matches. Veteran player Joan Hilder also claimed victory in her ladies singles match. The mens doubles combinations of Knighton / Dewar and Newman / Dan Lobb managed to win their matches, as did the ladies doubles pairing of Sarah Barry and Lynne Strickland.
The HK team then went on to take out 3 of the 4 mixed doubles matches with the combinations of Knighton / Hilder, Lobb / Barry and Zukaria / Jacinda Russell all winning their matches to claim a much celebrated 11-5 victory and avoid the wooden spoon.