Dorset’s Men’s and Ladies’ teams will be playing their county tennis in their respective group 5s after experiencing a tough time at the latest round of the Aegon County Cup.
The men’s team endured a challenging start as they were beaten 7-2 by Cambridgeshire; Adam Glynn and Richard Irwin scored a 6-3, 6-3 win, whilst Matt Coombes and David Sanger won one of their matches 6-3, 6-4 to earn two points for Dorset, but their opponents were simply too strong.
The team narrowly missed out on a win after a 5-4 defeat to North Wales; Glynn partnered Dan Gilbert and the duo won two matches, whilst Coombes and Jack Hartman registered a win and Adam Watson and Tim Prossor battled to a three-set victory before being edged out in another three-setter in the deciding match.
It didn’t get any easier in the following matches, a 9-0 whitewash at the hands of Essex came before consecutive 8-1 losses to Middlesex and Sussex, sealing the team’s fate and confirming their relegation down to group 5.
After gaining promotion in the last round, Dorset’s men; David Sanger, Matt Coombes, Adam Glynn, Adam Watson, Tim Prossor, Dan Gilbert, Jack Hartman, Rhys Hanger and Richard Irwin will be aiming to repeat the achievement and secure promotion back to group 4 at the first attempt.
Dorset’s Ladies’ were also unfortunate in their attempt to stay in group 4. They suffered five defeats and their campaign began with a baptism of fire as they were beaten 9-0 by North Wales before suffering another whitewash defeat to West of Scotland.
The team’s third match saw them score their first point of the competition as Anna Battersby and Lauren Hill registered a 6-1, 6-3 win, but it was a small consolation as they were beaten 8-1 by Staffordshire.
Battersby and Hill combined again in the next match and won two matches to earn 2 points, whilst Jodie Bratchell and Emma Bennett won one of their matches 6-4, 6-1 to earn a third point for the team. But it wasn’t enough to stop opponents North of Scotland from winning 6-3.
In their final match of the group, Dorset’s Ladies’ were beaten 6-0 by South Wales which confirmed their relegation down to group 5. The team; Anna Battersby, Lauren Hill, Jodie Bratchell, Emma Bennett, Emily Farley, Michelle Farley, Karen Adams, Anna Sharp, Megan Cheaney and Nikita Herfet-Jones will no doubt be aiming to regain their place in group 4 by earning promotion from group 5 of the Aegon County Cup.
Click Here for more information on the Dorset Men’s group at the Aegon County Cup at the West Worthing Tennis and Squash Club.
Click Here for more information on the Dorset Ladies’ group at the Aegon County Cup at the East Gloucestershire Club, Cheltenham.
By Harry Lund