Week 14 - Final Week of The South Warwickshire Summer Tennis League

The Final Week of the season for the South Warwickshire Summer Tennis League saw Premier Division relegation issues decided as Shipston-on-Stour join Chipping Campden in dropping down to Division One next year. Shipston could only muster a 2-2 draw at home to Henley-in-Arden, while Chipping Campden lost 4-0 away to fourth placed Claverdon. Previously crowned League Champions Stratford-on-Avon celebrated in style with a 4-0 home win over sixth placed Evesham. Finally, while third placed Alcester managed a 3-1 home victory over Littleton it was not enough to stop the latter claiming the runners-up spot.

Stratford won their final match in straight sets as Callum Bailey & Ralf Neilson beat Paul Everett & Simon Wall (Evesham) 6-2, 6-0 and beat Duncan Lowe & John Clarke (Evesham) 6-0, 6-0. Stratford captain Tim Page & Simon West beat Lowe & Clarke 7-5, 6-2 and beat Everett & Wall 6-3. 6-2.

Alcester put in a good last performance in a close match to beat runners-up Littleton 3-1. Tim Price & Barney Williams (Alcester) lost to Ian Smith & Sam Blewitt (Littleton) 2-6, 3-6 but beat Chris Elliott & Mike Schwartz (Littleton) 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8). Alcester captain Tim Kenneally & Jack Newbold beat Elliott & Schwartz 6-1, 6-4 and beat Smith & Blewitt 4-6, 7-6, 1-0 (10-6).

Shipston did well against mid-table Henley but the draw was not enough to save them from the drop. Adam Moran & James Hudson (Shipston) beat John Hunt & Matt Williams (Henley) 6-4, 6-1 and beat Neil Supperstone & Dave Tyler (Henley) 6-3, 6-1 . William Welch & Tom Coyte (Shipston) lost to Supperstone & Taylor 3-6, 2-6 and lost to Hunt & Williams 3-6, 4-6.

In the final Premier Division fixture Claverdon enjoyed a straight sets win over a struggling Campden side. James Courier & Pete Thomas (Claverdon) beat Mark Jepson & James Hudson (Campden) 6-3, 6-4 and beat Ken Dawson & Tim Jones (Campden) 7-5, 6-2. Richard Butler & Carsten Astheimer (Claverdon) beat Dawson & Jones 6-2, 6-2 and beat Jepson & Hudson 7-5, 6-3.

Division One champions are Ardencote Manor who led by 7 points clear and finished with a 3-1 win over Aston Cantlow. That point for Cantlow saved them from the drop. Inkberrow B claimed the second promotion spot after beating mid-table Pershore away 3-1. Studley B who had completed their fixtures finished in third place. The bottom clash between Bidford-on-Avon and Alcester B saw Bidford triumph 3-1 but both are relegated to Division Two by a solitary point.

Studley B, who had already completed their fixtures, were crowned as Division Two champion on 33 points 7 clear of joint second teams Snitterfield A and Whitnash. Snitterfield had a clear two point lead in second place going into the last match but could only draw 2-2 away to relegated Chipping Campden B. Meanwhile Whitnash did all they could by beating Claverdon B 4-0. However, Snitterfield A claimed the other promotion place on sets difference during the season over an unlucky Whitnash. Shipston B saved their best performance until last beating Stratford B away 3-1, but it was too little too late and they are relegated alongside Campden B into Division Three.

The Division Three title saw the closest competition of any division with the battle for the title taken to the wire and depended on the results in this last week. It was Moreton-in-Marsh A who claimed the champions title by 33 points to Redditch side HDA A's 31, but it could not have been more dramatic. After the regular final week's fixtures were completed HDA A were two points clear at the top on 31. The final stages were closer as they were beaten in their last match 3-1 away to mid-table FISSC. In a topsy-turvy end to the season second placed Moreton-in-Marsh A had looked to have missed out on the title when they were well beaten 4-0 by mid-table Ilmington. However, they had a rain re-arranged match to go and made no mistake in this beating FISSC, the team that had toppled Moreton's rivals HDA only a few days before, 4-0 to claim the honours. HDA did have the consolation of promotion to Division Two next year. To add to the strange last week results, bottom side Littleton B beat third placed Inkberrow B 3-1. However, it was not enough to stop them going down to Division Four next year alongside Henley B who had already completed their fixtures.

In Division Four Ardencote B had already been declared champions with an unbeatable 37 points. They added another point in their last match but were defeated 3-1 by promotion chasing Wildmoor Spa A Team. This was the most important match of the week because no-one unexpected this result and with Snitterfield B on 29 points after only managing a 2-2 draw in their last match at home to Claverdon C, it allowed Wildmoor Spa to overtake Snitterfield and finish second with 31 points and so gain promotion. On the other hand the draw by Claverdon with Snitterfield lifted Claverdon two points clear of relegation. This dubious honour went to Pershore B who had completed their fixtures and Redditch team HDA B who lost 4-0 to mid-table Alcester C.

The Division Five champions had already been declared as Studley C with a massive 40 points, an incredible 14 clear of equal second placed teams Chipping Campden C and Inkberrow C. Studley celebrated with a 3-1 victory over bottom team Wildmoor Spa B. Campden C slipped up in their final game only drawing 2-2 with mid-table side Bidford B. However, despite Inkberrow C pulling level on points in second after also drawing 2-2 with next to bottom Moreton B, Campden C clinched the second promotion place on sets difference over the unfortunate Moreton B side during the season. 

Attached photos of Champions of Div 1 Ardencote Manor and Div 3 Moreton-in-Marsh