Onto week 12 of the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League and with only two weeks left Stratford-on-Avon made sure of no slips when a full strength side turned out to claim a maximum points 4-0 victory over previously third placed Ardencote Manor (27) who now drop to fifth and trail Stratford by ten points. Second placed Evesham met fourth equal Alcester in a crucial encounter but their 2-2 draw could spell curtains to either team’s efforts of the title, leaving Evesham trailing seven points behind the leaders and Alcester eight. The only other team in contention, Studley A, took advantage to pull level with Evesham on 30 points following their 3-1 win over sixth placed Henley-in-Arden (18). Finally in the Premier Division, the bottom two teams Littleton (12) and Studley B (9) met. Littleton came out 3-1 winners but are still some way adrift of the rest with both teams looking doomed to relegation to Division One next year.
Stratford made no mistake against a good Ardencote side with three out of four rubbers won in straight sets. Stratford’s Callum Bailey teamed up with Simon West beat John Brain & Steve Hussey (Ardencote) 6-2, 6-2, and beat Ben Summers & Christian Hardy (Ardencote) 6-3, 6-0. Stratford skipper Tim Page paired up with Will Morley-Cotteral just defeated Summers & Hardy 6-4, 6-7, 1-0 (13-11) after a very tight third set Championship Tie-Break. They then went on to beat Brain & Hussey 6-2, 6-4.
Evesham and Alcester probably waved goodbye to their League title hopes with this draw. Alcester captain Tim Kenneally & Stuart Beach went down to Evesham’s Andy Crowther & Chris Francis 2-6, 3-6, but beat Ray Foster-Morison & Jack Crossley (Evesham) 6-3, 6-1. Meanwhile on the other court Pete Watson & Alex Woodbridge (Alcester) defeated Foster-Morison & Crossley 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 (6-2) after a close tie-break. They then went down to Crowther & Francis 5-7, 3-6.
Studley A kept their title hopes alive with this 3-1 victory over Henley. Damian Hampton & Dave Douglas (Studley A) beat Brett Mackay & Craig Mander (Henley) 6-2, 6-4, and beat Neil Supperstone & Max Retallack (Henley) 6-1, 6-2. Martyn Richards & Mark Willmore (Studley A) beat Supperstone & Retallack 6-1, 6-2 but lost to Mackay & Mander 6-4, 4-6, 0-1 (1-10) after a close third set championship tie-break.
Littleton enjoyed a rare victory over bottom side Studley B but the result is probably too little too late to save them from the drop. Simon Blewitt & John Fielder (Littleton) beat David Douglas & Joe Yapp (Studley B) 6-3, 7-6 and beat Vince Morrissey & Richard McGhee (Studley B) 6-2, 5-7, 1-0 (10-8). John Howard & Ian Smith (Littleton) beat Morrisey & McGhee 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-8), but lost to Douglas & Yapp 6-1, 2-6, 0-1 (5-10).
In Division One top team Moreton-in-Marsh (32) had no match but still retain the lead. Second placed Claverdon (28) moved closer to the leaders as they overcame third placed Pershore (24) in a good 3-1 win. Fourth placed Snitterfield (20) imposed a 3-1 defeat on sixth placed Inkberrow A (14). Fifth placed Whitnash (18) beat bottom placed Aston Cantlow (7) by 3-1 and so confirmed the latter’s relegation to Division Two next year.
In Division Two HDA Redditch A (42) increased their lead to six points with another win, this time 3-1 over Chipping Campden A (19) and caused them to drop to fifth place. This was because second placed Ardencote B (36) slipped up to fourth placed FISSC (20) when they were held to a 2-2 draw. Third placed Alcester B (34) defeated relegation prospects Inkberrow B (13) 4-0 and so stay in the promotion hunt. The surprise of the week saw bottom side Shipston-on-Stour A (9) overhaul Stratford B (17) by an amazing 4-0 scoreline which meant Stratford continued to slide down the table to sixth place. However Shipston are still confirmed relegated to Division Three.
Snitterfield B (35) hung on to their lead at the head of Division Three following a 3-1 win over Alcester C (19) who drop to sixth position with this defeat. Claverdon B (33) stay second but drop two points behind after being held to a 2-2 draw by fifth placed Ilmington (20). Studley C (29) stay third and were back to winning ways by beating fourth placed Henley B (24) 4-0. The battle at the bottom saw Chipping Campden (19) improve their chances of escaping the drop by beating already relegated Wildmoor Spa A (10) 3-1.
Division Four’s top four teams showed only slight changes. HDA Redditch B (36) now lead by a solitary point thanks to a 4-0 away beating of equal fifth Moreton-in-Marsh B (20). Inkberrow C (35) drop to second as they could only manage a 3-1 victory away to relegation threatened Bidford-on-Avon A (18). Claverdon C (34) stay third and kept up their challenge with a 4-0 victory over bottom and relegated side Chipping Campden C (2). Finally, Pershore remain fourth with 27 points with a 3-1 defeat of fifth equal Littleton B (20).
Finally, HDA C Redditch (40) regain top spot in Division Five on their own thanks to a great 4-0 away victory over sixth placed Inkberrow D (15). Warwick slip back a point in second when they could only manage a 3-1 win over fourth side Moreton-in-Marsh C (24). Wildmoor Spa B (25) move up to third in place of Moreton virtue of their 3-1 win over mid-table Bidford B (21). Lastly some good news at last for bottom side Evesham B when they took the honours 3-1 at home to Shipston B bringing them level at the bottom with both sides on 12 points.