Week three of the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League covering the South Warwickshire area and parts of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire saw current champions Stratford-on-Avon still top the league for the summer season with 12 points by beating bottom club Inkberrow 4-0 in the Premier Division. Ardencote and Claverdon trail in joint second five points behind after they both drew 2-2, Ardencote with fifth placed Evesham and Claverdon away to sixth placed Henley A. Alcester stay in fourth equal on six points despite their match at home to Littleton being rained off. They share this place with Evesham and Henley-in-Arden. Littleton and Inkberrow stay bottom still both without a point so far this season.
Stratford strolled to a comfortable victory over Inkberrow who are yet to get off the mark. Top Stratford pair Callum Bailey & Ralf Neilson won in straight sets beating Matt Saunders & Jim Richardson (Inkberrow) 6-1, 6-3, and beating Gordon Keir & Nick Brookes (Inkberrow) 6-0, 6-1. Team captain Tim Page with partner Simon West beat Kier & Brookes 6-1, 6-3 and beat Saunders & Richardson 6-2, 6-2.
Ardencote’s first pair of Ben Summers & Jack Smith were able to pick up points from both their rubbers as they beat Chris Francis & John Clark (Evesham) 6-3, 6-3, and then beat Andy Crowther & Simon Wall (Evesham) 6-3, 6-1. Unfortunately for Ardencote their captain Myles Wilcox-Smith & Christian Hardy were unable to emulate this feat going down in both their rubbers 1-6, 2-6, to Crowther & Wall and 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (4-7), after two tight tie-breaks with a brave fight against Summers & Smith.
Claverdon travelled to Henley-in-Arden but were held to a draw. Dave Taylor & Emmanuel Vaxier (Henley) lost to Pete Thomas & James Courier (Claverdon) 2-6, 0-6, and lost to Claverdon captain Richard Butler & Andy Ashley 2-6, 1-6. However, Henley’s Brett Mackay & Sam Turner saved the day for their team by winning both their rubbers after immense struggles 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5) against Butler & Ashley and 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-7) against Taylor & Vaxier following two close Championship Tie-Break finishes.
In Division One a clash between last week’s top two teams Studley A and Chipping Campden may prove crucial at the end of the season. The result saw Studley A beat Campden 4-0 and in doing so go clear at the top of the Division on 8 points while dropping Campden down to fourth place on 6. Pershore now sit second only on sets difference behind Studley A, but have played two games more, after picking up two points in a 2-2 draw with Aston Cantlow. Meanwhile Studley B took third spot on 7 points following a good 3-1 away win over Snitterfield. Shipston-on-Stour had no fixture this week.
Division Two saw Moreton-in-Marsh A break away at the top to lead with 13 points following a great 4-0 result away to HDA A of Redditch. Stratford B moved up to second spot 6 points behind Moreton after they enjoyed a 4-0 Home win over Claverdon B. Finally, Whitnash dropped to second despite their 3-1 victory away to Alcester B. Bidford-on-Avon A lay fourth with 5 points but had no match this week.
A battle at the top between FISSC and Ilmington resulted in a resounding 4-0 win for FISSC and saw them go top of the table in Division Three on 6 points, while Ilmington dropped to third place. Wildmoor Spa A overtook Ilmington to go second with 5 points thanks to their 3-1 win at the expense of Inkberrow B who prop up the table. Just above them Chipping Campden B and Ardencote shared the points in a 2-2 draw.
On to Division Four where Studley C stay top on 7 points after a 3-1 win over sixth placed Snitterfield B. Henley B are second only on sets difference despite losing to fourth placed Claverdon C 3-1. Alcester C moved up to third place with 6 points following their emphatic 4-0 result over bottom placed Chipping Campden C. Mid table Littleton B had no match this week.
Finally, in Division Five Inkberrow C stay joint top with 8 points despite having no match this week. However, Pershore B moved above them on sets difference after they beat bottom club Inkberrow D 4-0. HDA B Redditch also moved up to third place with 7 points thanks to their 4-0 thumping of Wildmoor Spa B. Moreton-in-Marsh B dropped down to fourth after being held to a 2-2 draw by Bidford B.