Wildmoor Spa Tennis Men’s League – Final Week 14

The final week of the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League tied up loose ends.  Stratford-on-Avon had already been crowned League Champions for a record thirteenth time last week.  They celebrated with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Henley-in-Arden.  Alcester confirmed their runners-up medals with a 4-0 win over bottom and relegated side Studley B.  Three points adrift in third were Ardencote Manor who finished with a 4-0 flourish beating Studley A who dropped to fifth with this result.  Finally in the Premier Division, Evesham finished in fourth place with the same points as Ardencote but an inferior sets difference.  However, they defeated Littleton 4-0 to end their season on a high.

Stratford top pair Callum Bailey & Simon West dropped only one point in beating both Henley pairs, first Marcus Tate & Brett Mackay 6-0, 6-0 and then Max Retallack & Sam Turner 6-0, 6-1.  Stratford’s skipper Tim Page & Will Morely Cotteral beat Retallack & Turner 6-0, 6-3 and beat Tate & Mackay 6-1, 6-2.  Stratford finished seven points clear with a total of 44.

Alcester travelled to Studley but came out with maximum points.  Alex Woodbridge & captain Tim Kenneally had to fight hard in the first rubber before emerging victors over James Fitton & Ollie Smith (Studley B) 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-2) following a championship tie-break.  They then went on to beat David Douglas & Joe Yapp (Studley B) 6-0, 6-1.  Stuart Beach & Gareth Price (Alcester) beat Douglas & Yapp 6-3, 6-0 and beat Fitton & Smith 6-2, 6-4.

Ardencote Manor remained third after their beat Studley A 4-0 in straight sets.  Christian Hardy & Mark Cook (Ardencote) beat Mark Willmore & Damian Hampton (Studley A) 6-2, 7-5 and beat Paul Farmer & Vince Morrissey (Studley A) 6-2, 6-3.  Ben Summers & John Brain (Ardencote) beat Farmer & Morrissey 6-2, 6-2 and defeated Willmore & Hampton 6-2, 6-3.

Evesham, following their misfortune with illness last week, were back to winning ways when the overcame Littleton 4-0.  Andy Crowther & John Clarke (Evesham) beat Chris Elliott & Ian Smith (Littleton) 6-0, 6-1 and beat Jack Philpott & Simon Blewitt (Littleton) 6-0, 6-2.  Simon Wall & JACK cROSSIER (Evesham) beat Philpott & Blewitt 6-0, 6-1 and beat Elliott & Smith 7-5, 6-1.

In Division One Champions Moreton-in-Marsh totalled 36 points from their season with a 2-2 draw away to relegated Inkberrow.  Claverdon claimed the runners-up spot along with promotion alongside Moreton, and four points behind them, when they also drew 2-2 away to bottom team Aston Cantlow who are also relegated to Division Two.  Yet another 2-2 draw at Pershore between the latter third side and fourth placed Whitnash left Pershore four points adrift of promotion with 28 points.  Snitterfield, who had completed their season, finished fifth with 22 points.

HDA Redditch A, having already confirmed the Division Two title and promotion relaxed into a 2-2 draw at home to fourth placed FISSC.  Ardencote Manor B took the runners-up spot and promotion trailing HDA by four points on 42 after they beat mid-table Chipping Campden A 4-0 in their final fixture.  Alcester B took the third promotion spot with 41 points, 17 ahead of fourth placed FISSC, following their 4-0 win over bottom side Shipston A who are relegated.  Stratford B avoided relegation by drawing 2-2 with Inkberrow B, a result which saw the latter going down to Division Three.

On to Division Three and Snitterfield B, already confirmed promoted as Champions, celebrated with a 4-0 victory over relegated Chipping Campden B.  Claverdon B were comfortable runners-up and looking forward to going up a division on 38 points, four shy of Snitterfield’s total.  They were held to a 2-2 home draw against fourth placed Henley B (29).  This last result was a relief for Studley C already on 30 points as, despite losing away to Ilmington 4-0, they claimed the third promotion spot by a solitary point over unlucky Henley B.  In the final Division Three match mid-table Alcester C beat bottom and relegated side Wildmoor Spa A

Division Four had already seen the top three teams, HDA Redditch B, Inkberrow C and Claverdon C confirm their promotion to Division Three next season.  HDA Redditch B (44) went one better and claimed the title in this final week with an impressive 4-0 victory over fellow promoted side Claverdon C (36).  This result allowed Inkberrow C, despite missing out on the title, to be crowned runners-up with 40 points following a 3-1 win over mid-table Littleton B.  Moreton-in-Marsh C moved clear of the relegation zone with a 3-1 win over bottom side Chipping Campden C.  The latter, together with Bidford-on-Avon A are relegated after Bidford were defeated 3-1 by mid-table Pershore B.

Finally, Division Five, saw the Redditch club HDA claim their third divisional title when their C Team became divisional Champions by beating Evesham B 4-0.  In doing so they held off a great challenge all season from new club to the league Warwick.  Bidford B gave them a good game before Warwick emerged victors 3-1 for the runners-up spot only two points behind HDA’s total of 48 points.  The final promotion place went to Moreton-in-Marsh C with 30 points, four clear of Wildmoor Spa B, when Moreton beat Wildmoor 3-1.  In the last league fixture Shipston B moved off the bottom and above Evesham B when they beat Inkberrow D 4-0, with the latter replacing them at the foot of the table.  Final tables below:

Photo shows Division Five Champions HDA Redditch C Team.  Left to Right:

David Horton, Phil Hinks, Kevin Hollier and Lubos Smoliar.  (Missing is captain Matt Gill).

Wildmoor Spa Tennis Final League Tables 2015