The big news for Week 5 of the South Warwickshire Summer Tennis League was the meeting between the top two teams in the Premier Division. Current champions and leaders Stratford-on-Avon hosted second placed Alcester in a clash of the titans which turned into a damp squid when Stratford proved too strong overpowering their opponents 4-0. Evesham took full advantage to move up from third to take Alcester's spot in second after Evesham dispatched fourth placed Littleton 4-0 in an excellent result. Henley-in-Arden moved up from the bottom two places to fifth after being awarded a 4-0 walkover with Chipping Campden not turning up for their match. Campden were also docked two points and drop into the relegation zone. Finally, Shipston-on-Stour and Claverdon shared the points in a 2-2 draw.
Richard Monk & Callum Bailey set Stratford on the road to victory with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Alcester's Tim Kenneally & Pete Watson. They then beat Alcester's other pair Gareth Price & Tim Price 6-1, 6-2. Stratford captain Tim Page together with Simon West also beat the Price pair 6-4, 6-2, before winning a close rubber 7-6, 6-4 over Kenneally & Watson.
Evesham have recovered well after their defeat to Henley in the opening week of the season and recorded their fourth straight win with this 4-0 victory over Littleton. Their top pair Paul Everett & Simon Wall beat Chris Elliot & Jack Philpot (Littleton) 6-1, 6-2 and beat Richard Herborn & Rob Moore (Littleton) also 6-1, 6-2. The other Evesham pair Chris Francis & Ray Foster-Morison beat Herborn & Moore 6-4, 6-1, but were taken to a championship tie-break before overcoming Elliot & Philpot 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6).
Shipston entertained Claverdon and managed to triple their points total for the season with a 2-2 draw. William Welch & Adam Moran led the way for Shipston by winning both rubbers, 7-6, 6-2 over James Courier & Pete Thomas (Claverdon) and 6-2, 6-1 over Andy Ashley & Carsten Astheimer (Claverdon). Gary Jackson & Hugh Allen (Shipston) were unable to support losing 1-6, 2-6 to Ashley & Astheimer and losing 1-6, 4-6 to Courier & Thomas.
Division One saw Ardencote Manor widen their gap at the top over Pershore to four points when they beat them 3-1 leaving the leaders on 15 points. Inkberrow moved up to equal second with Pershore after they claimed a 4-0 victory against Aston Cantlow. Studley A are fourth with only 7 points following the postponement of their match due to rain with the penultimate team Bidford-on-Avon. Bottom of the table Alcester B had no fixture this week.
In Division Two leaders Studley B were joined at the top on 12 points by Stratford B. This came about after Studley's match at home to fourth placed Snitterfield (9 points) was rained off, while Stratford B enjoyed a 3-1 victory over Whitnash. While the result was in Stratford's favour Whitnash can feel hard done by with only a championship tie-break robbing them of a draw. Claverdon B climbed off the bottom to fifth with an emphatic 4-0 result at the expense of bottom side Shipston B. Chipping Campden B had a free week.
Division Three leaders on 13 points are still Moreton-in-Marsh A despite having no match this week. This is because previously second placed Ilmington lost at home to Henley B 3-1, but stay second with 11 points. With this result Henley B moved up to join Inkberrow B in third on 10 points each after the latter drew 2-2 with HDA A of Redditch. Finally, the bottom two sides Littleton B and FISSC B also drew 2-2.
Onto Division Four and Ardencote Manor B stay firmly at the top of the table after beating HDA B of Redditch 4-0. With bottom team Claverdon having no match this week, it left HDA B and Claverdon anchoring the division. Wildmoor Spa A kept their second place but drop two points behind Ardencote as they could only manage a 3-1 victory over fourth placed Alcester C. Snitterfield stayed third with 9 points after their match at home to mid-table Pershore B was rained off.
Division Five saw Chipping Campden C increased their lead to 2 points after their 4-0 triumph over Henley C who fell to the bottom of the table with this result. Studley stayed second after their 3-1 win away win at Inkberrow C. With Bidford B having no fixture this week, Moreton-in-Marsh B moved up to join them in third place when they drew 2-2 with Wildmoor Spa B. This last result lifted Wildmoor off the bottom of the league.