04/10/2026
October is here!
We have now officially reached October, which means the nights are getting longer, the badminton season is well and truly underway — and Christmas is getting closer!
This week also saw the return of the round table and Celebrity Traitors which im sure had most of us hooked, thank goodness for Iplayer meaning we can watch after our matches!
There are just 82 days until Christmas!
So, while some of us might still be wondering where September went, the race for league points is already heating up!
Keep sending in those match results and reports — and good luck to everyone for the weeks ahead!
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DIVISION 1
Lightning A v Poulton
Lightning A welcomed Poulton for what turned out to be a brilliant and extremely competitive Division 1 encounter, with the final result proving just how closely matched the two sides were.
The ladies' games saw Lightning put up a very strong fight, winning 3 out of 3, making it an incredibly even contest overall.
The men's games went slightly differently, with Poulton taking 4 of the 6 games. However, two games went all the way to setting, meaning the final score could have looked very different with just a few points going the other way.
Nathan Bunting was Lightning's standout performer in the men's games, taking both of those games, while Danny Dicken and Alex Flemming both picked up three games each.
Moving into the mixed games Poulton came fighting through however it was Sian Meakin and Nathan Bunting who were the winning combination, taking the only 4 mixed matches for lightning.
With some brilliant games throughout, this was a fantastic contest between two Division 1 sides, and it will be very interesting to see whether the return fixture produces another closely fought encounter.
A special mention goes to Sian Meakin for Lightning and Danny Dicken for Poulton, who both produced fantastic performances, each taking 7 out of their 8 games.
A brilliant achievement from both players!
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Kirkham 1st v Lightning B
For newly promoted Lightning B, this was always going to be a crucial fixture, with every point potentially proving important as they look to establish themselves in Division 1.
The Lightning ladies got off to a strong start, taking 4 of their 6 games.
Things were much more one-sided in the men's games, however, with Kirkham taking all 6, putting themselves firmly in control of the overall match.
Heading into the mixed games, Lightning B needed to fight back . For Kirkham Ben Taylor and Hollie Mackay were outstanding in the mixed, taking all four of their games.
Players of the Match
For Kirkham, Ben Taylor was the standout performer, winning all of his games — a fantastic individual performance.
For Lightning B, Nicky Percy was named Player of the Match after winning 5 of her 8 games.
The final score finished Kirkham 16-8 Lightning B, but the eight games secured by Lightning could prove to be a crucial point as the season progresses.
Well done to both teams on a competitive match, and congratulations to Lightning B on picking up those valuable games as they continue their first season following promotion.
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DIVISION 2
Kingfisher B v Lids A
Kingfisher B welcomed Lids A in another brilliant Division 2 encounter, with both teams battling hard for every game.
Lids A managed to take 8 games, securing themselves a vital league point, but it was Kingfisher B who came out on top with a 16-8 overall victory.
There was also a debut for Chris Farrar, who played his first game for Kingfisher and immediately made his mark. Chris produced an outstanding performance, taking all 8 of his games to finish as Kingfisher's standout player.
For the losing side, Sandra Jackson also deserves a special mention after winning half of her games — a great contribution in what was a difficult fixture for Lids A.
Fleetwood C v Kingfisher B
With the way this fortnight's fixtures have fallen, Kingfisher B find themselves making another appearance in the report!
This time, Kingfisher travelled to face Fleetwood C, coming away with another 16-8 victory.
Fleetwood C once again showed plenty of fight, securing the 8 games needed for a valuable league point.
Kingfisher's ladies were particularly impressive, taking 5 out of the 6 ladies' games and putting their side in a strong position going into the rest of the match.
Pairing of the Fortnight - Chris & Josie Hodkin
A very special mention this fortnight goes to our Pairing of the Fortnight, and what a pairing it is!
🏆 Chris & Josie Hodkin 🏆
The father-and-daughter combination produced an absolute star performance, taking all four of their mixed games in what was their first appearance together in the Blackpool League.
And I'm sure anyone watching would agree that Josie was definitely the boss of the match, keeping her dad well and truly in check and telling him exactly what to do!
Chris is not afraid to throw himself around the court — diving for near enough every shot!
But alongside the entertainment, there was some seriously impressive badminton from both.
Josie is a fantastic junior and a very welcome addition to the Blackpool League. She has already shown that she is one to watch and, judging by this performance, she definitely takes no prisoners!
A huge well done to both Chris and Josie — hopefully this is the first of many successful father-daughter partnerships in the league.
