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Birmingham Lions began their AJ Bell National Badminton League title defence with an impressive 4-1 victory over newfranchise Suffolk Saxons but were forced to come from behind at the iconicGreat Hall as Anthony Clark rolled back the years.

And there was joy too for lastseason's beaten finalists Loughborough Lightning who made it four straight winson the road with their own 4-1 win away at Surrey Smashers . But they toorecovered from a first event loss.

Suffolk Saxons couldn't havehoped for a better start to life in the AJ Bell NBL as coach Clark and SarahWalker produced an impressive mixed doubles performance to put the newfranchise in front.

But it was to be Suffolk Saxons'only win of the night as Birmingham Lions' experienced players, which includedOlympian Heather Olver and national champion Fontaine Chapman, proved thedifference whilst Toby Penty was left to be the match-winner with victory overJoel Douse.

Captain Toby Penty, who won andlost 'doubling up' in two events on the night, said: “It's brilliant to getanother match win. That means we're three matches unbeaten in the NBL now.

“We're happy to have turned itaround after a bit of a rocky start and to get the overall win was great."

Like the Lions, LoughboroughLightning, playing with five of the starting eight beaten by Birmingham in lastseason's Championship final, also had to recover from a first event loss on thenight when the mixed doubles pair of Greg Mairs and Jenny Moore missed out toBen Stawski and Marie Roepke.

It proved a high spot for the600-strong Smashers fans at Surrey Sports Park who saw Loughborough Lightningquickly recapture their winning groove.

Led by double event win for ChloeBirch, including a tie-break win in the final event women's doubles clincher,and a men's doubles win for Mairs and Peter Briggs, the Lightning showed theresilience and battling mentality that has become their trademark over the pasttwo seasons.

That makes it two wins in a rownow in Surrey for Andy Wood's troops as attentions turn to November'smatch-night two.

For full reports from both fixtures, visit this website tomorrow (Tuesday).

Photo: Gary Baker

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