Week Six of the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League covering the South Warwickshire area and parts of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, saw Stratford-on-Avon leading by seven points on 23 but dropping their first rubber of the season to second placed Ardencote Manor who they defeated 3-1. Ardencote now have 14 points while equal third place Alcester with 12 points was held to a 2-2 draw by the team they share that position with Henley-in-Arden. This match had followed an earlier 3-1 win for Alcester over Littleton in a rained off match from week 3. Evesham in fifth were held to a 2-2 draw by the penultimate side Claverdon, meanwhile Littleton in sixth beat bottom placed Inkberrow 3-1.
This was Stratford’s hardest match to date and they were extremely fortunate in gaining victory only at the eleventh hour by just two points. Stratford’s Callum Bailey and coach Ralf Neilsen led the way with a victory over Ardencies’ Ben Summers & Jack Smith 6-2, 6-4. They then cruised past Myles Wilcox-Smith & John Brain (Ardencote) 6-0, 6-1. However, on the other court Ed Bosley & James Smith lost to Wilcox-Smith & Brain 3-6, 4-6, and only just squeezed out Summers & Smith (Ardencote) 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (13-11) after an epic Championship Tie-Break decider.
Alcester had two matches in the week, first a rain postponed match with Littleton which they won 3-1. Then Alcester and Henley fought out an honourable 2-2 draw. Tim Kenneally & Stuart Beach (Alcester) beat Brett MacKay & Dave Taylor (Henley) 7-6, 6-1, and beat Max Retallack & Craig Mander 6-1, 6-0. Jack Newbold & Duncan Robinson (Stratford) lost to Retallack & Mander 3-6, 4-6, and lost to MacKay & Taylor 7-5, 1-6, 0-1 (5-10).
Evesham found themselves held to an unexpected draw away to Claverdon. Pete Thomas & James Courier (Claverdon) beat John Clarke & Chris Francis (Evesham) 6-3, 6-7, 1-0 (10-4), and then beat Paul Everett & Simon Wall (Evesham) 6-3, 6-3. However, Claverdon’s captain Richard Butler & Andy Ashley went down 6-7, 5-7, to Everett & Wall and lost 3-6, 4-6 to Thomas & Courier.
Finally, Littleton overcame bottom side Inkberrow 3-1. Jack Philpott & Richard Herborn (Littleton) beat Matt Saunders & Graeme Rankin (Inkberrow) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-5), and beat Chris Dixon & Nick Brookes 6-3, 6-2. Andy Reynolds & Chris Elliott (Littleton) beat Dixon & Brookes 6-2, 6-1 but lost to Saunders & Rankin 3-6, 4-6.
Division One leaders Studley A stay clear with their four point lead after beating Aston Cantlow 3-1. Pershore keep the chase on in second as they beat Studley B by the same 3-1 score and are on 11 points. Snitterfield matched this 3-1 victory with one of their own over bottom team Shipston-on-Stour. This result lifted them to equal third with Studley B on 8 points.
There were only two matches in Division Two as the match between Whitnash & HDA A was rained off. Moreton A enjoyed a good 3-1 away win over second placed Stratford B to pull three points clear of them at the top on 16 points. Bidford A moved clear in third following their 3-1 home win over Redditch side HDA A. Bottom team Claverdon B had no match this week.
Division Three saw a change of leaders as Ardencote B thrashed Ilmington 4-0 to lead the table by three points on 13. Inkberrow B moved into second place a point behind thanks to a similar 4-0 victory over previous leaders FISSC of Stratford. Wildmoor Spa A moved up to fourth after they beat bottom placed Chipping Campden B 3-1.
In Division Four Claverdon C and Snitterfield B are joint top on 15 points. Claverdon C enjoyed two victories over the bottom two teams, first in a rain postponed match at home to Littleton B 3-1 and then 4-0 away to Campden C. Meanwhile, Snitterfield B enjoyed an excellent 4-0 win away to Littleton B. Third and fourth placed Alcester C and Henley B respectively drew 2-2 and both trail the leaders by three points. Studley C had no fixture.
Finally, in Division Five, Pershore B lead on 16 one point ahead of Inkberrow C, with HDA B in third on 13. This was despite Pershore being held to a 2-2 draw by Moreton-in-Marsh B as Inkberrow C had no fixture this week. Redditch side HDA B walloped Bidford-on-Avon B 4-0 and stay 3 points clear of fourth placed Moreton B. Studley C had no match.