Despite playing without several players injured against a full-strength Paola side, Birkirkara Go & Fun lost a very close and balanced match 2-3, thus having to be content with third place.

The match augered well for Birkirkara going 2-0 up by winning the first two games. First Stefan Salomone/Klara O’Berg won the Mixed Doubles beating Paola’s E. Abela/J. Cassar in three sets. The first set was easy for Stefan/Klara, never allowing the Paola pair an inch and winning it 21-5. In the second Abela/Cassar made a strong reaction and won 21-19. But Stefan/Klara took control in the deciding set and won 21-15.

Song Chen Jun, playing in his last match for Birkirkara before going abroad, made it 2-0 when he won the Men’s Singles beating O. Grech easily 21-6, 21-14.

Paola’s J. Grech Licari pulled one back for her team winning the Ladies Singles 21-16, 21-16. She beat Go & Fun’s Daniella Galea who gave her more-fancied opponent some stiff opposition.

The Men’s Doubles was now the deciding game, and what a game it turned out to be! Paola had to win it to stay with a chance for the points, whereas, if Go & Fun won the game, the runner-up place was theirs. Stefan/Song played their hearts out in the first set and beat Paola’s K. Vella/H. Thomsen easily 21-8. The second set was a real “battle” with the lead changing hands several times. In the end the set went Paola’s way 21-19. Another close and exciting deciding set followed with Paola levelling the score winning it 21-18.

Despite the brave effort put in by Birkirkara’s Klara/Daniella against Paola’s Cassar/A. Galea in the Ladies Doubles, they lost 21-9, 21-12, thus giving the runner-up spot to Paola BC.

Congratulations to both winners and losers for an entertaining match which regaled those present.