Stratford-on-Avon stay clear at the top of the Prudden Tennis League for the South Warwickshire and District with another crushing straight sets 4-0 win this week over Inkberrow. Evesham stay just one point behind still in contention for the title after they too chalked up a 4-0 win over relegation threatened Littleton, although their victory was much harder than the result reflects. Henley may have dropped out the title race but still proved too good for Stratford B recording a 3-1 victory. However, that point by Stratford B lifted them into fifth above Inkberrow. Fourth side Moreton-in-Marsh collected a 3-1 win over bottom side Claverdon, who with this result are relegated to Division One next year.
Champions Stratford-on-Avon, having gained top spot last week, was in no mood to relinquish it as they bulldozed aside a struggling Inkberrow. Stratford’s captain Tim Page & Simon West overcame Pete Watson & Tim Kenneally (Inkberrow) 6-2, 6-3, and then Gareth Price & Matt Knowles (Inkberrow) 6-4, 6-3. Callum Bailey & Ralf Neilson (Stratford) beat Price & Knowles 6-3, 6-2, and beat Watson & Kenneally 6-1, 6-2.
Evesham kept their challenge alive with a 4-0 victory over Littleton but were made to work hard for every point with three rubbers going to the wire. Chris Francis & John Clarke (Evesham) squeezed past Sean Witheford & Chris Elliott (Littleton) 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-8) in a Championship tie-break. They then endured another marathon before clinching victory over Richard Herborn & Nick Hird (Littleton) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-5). Simon Wall & Dave Hubbard (Evesham) beat Herborn & Hird 6-2, 6-2 and beat Witheford & Elliott 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10-6).
Henley-in-Arden commiserated dropping out of the title race with a 3-1 victory over Stratford B. Ben Summers & John Turner (Henley) beat Andy Craig & Ben Tolliday (Stratford B) 6-1, 6-0 and beat Nick Harper & Olivier Rott (Stratford B) 6-1, 7-6. Rich Butler & Phil Silk (Henley) beat Harper & Rott 6-4, 7-6, but lost to Craig & Tolliday 2-6, 0-6.
Moreton-in-Marsh consolidated their mid-table position while condemning Claverdon to Division One tennis next season. Apart from the one rubber Moreton dominated the proceedings to take a 3-1 result. Chris Adams & Will Hale (Moreton) beat Nigel Bacon & Pete Thomas (Claverdon) 6-3, 6-3 and beat Richard Butler & James Courier (Claverdon) 6-3, 6-0. However, Brian Lomas & Gary Jackson (Moreton) lost to Butler & Courier 3-6, 6-2, 0-1 (3-10) but then beat Bacon & Thomas 6-2, 6-2.
Division One saw significant changes after two crucial top of the table clashes. Previous leaders Chipping Campden went down 4-0 to Alcester who as a result move up from second to take their place as leaders. Campden’s cause wasn’t helped by the fact they only turned out one pair and began the match 0-2 down. The other big match was between the third and fourth placed teams Ardencote and Pershore respectively. Pershore enjoyed an excellent 4-0 victory and with this moved up to second place, pushing Campden down to third and Ardencote down to fourth. Bidford-on-Avon and Whitnash shared the points in a 2-2 draw to stay out of relegation troubles. However, a 2-2 draw between the bottom two clubs Inkberrow B and Tanworth-in-Arden leaves them still in the drop zone.
Still no change at the head of Division Two as leaders FISSC disposed of bottom side Harbury 4-0. Harbury are now running out of games to avoid relegation to Division Three, Shipston are hot on the heels of FISSC as they powered past Studley with a straight sets 4-0 win to stay second. The only other side in the running for the title and promotion, Claverdon B, dropped points when they were held to a 2-2 draw by fourth place Stratford C. Littleton B enjoyed an important victory over Alcester B 4-0. This result meant that they swapped places with Alcester B who now look to be relegation candidates trailing Littleton B by 2 points.
In Division Three leaders Snitterfield moved two points clear at the top after beating second placed Studley B 3-1. Third placed Aston Cantlow now only trail Studley B by two points after they defeated Campden B 3-1. Mid-table Ilmington had no match this week but stay fourth. Lastly, the bottom two sides FISSC B and HDA Redditch met. FISSC B recorded their first victory of the season 3-1 which meant they climbed above Campden B and out of the relegation places, while dropping Campden B into the danger zone.
Wildmoor continue as leaders of Division Four with a 3-1 win over bottom placed Inkberrow D who go down to Division Five after this result. Shipston B still occupy second position seven points adrift but with a game in hand. They lost ground with a 2-2 draw with last but one placed Claverdon C. Third placed Inkberrow C were surprisingly beaten by fifth placed Moreton-in-Marsh B 3-1. Campden C had no match this week.
Division Five leaders Henley B, having taken over the top last week, consolidated their position with a 4-0 thrashing of Bidford B. Snitterfield B dropped a further point behind when they could only muster a 3-1 victory over mid-table HDA B Redditch. Finally, third placed Alcester C drew 2-2 with Henley C. Bottom side Pershore B had a free week to contemplate their bottom place in the league 8 points adrift of the nearest opposition.