Press Release No. 16....17/06/2015
Just past the halfway mark in the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League saw leaders Stratford-on-Avon still on top despite being held for the second week on the trot to a 2-2 draw, this time by third placed Evesham. This takes Stratford’s tally to 23 points while Evesham stay third on 20. Currently Stratford’s nearest rival is Studley A on 21 points, who overtook Evesham after they beat sister side and bottom of the table Studley B 4-0 to leave the latter team on only 7 points. Alcester go fourth with 19 points thanks to a 3-1 win over fifth placed Ardencote Manor (17). Near the foot of the table Henley (12) drew 2-2 with the penultimate team in the table Littleton (9).
At least Stratford avoided a repeat of their opening day loss to Evesham with this draw. Unfortunately for Evesham they have drawn too many to date leaving them three points off the leaders. In this match at Evesham their pair of John Clarke & Chris Francis started well by beating Stratford’s Simon West & Will Morely-Cotterall 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6) after a third set championship tie-break. However, they then lost heavily to Stratford’s Callum Bailey & Ben Keighley 0-6, 2-6. Evesham second pair Andy Crowther & Simon Wall lost to Bailey & Keighley 0-6, 2-6 but beat West & Morely-Cotterall 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-8) in another third set tie-break.
As expected, with Studley A challenging for the title while Studley B are propping up the Premier Division, the A Team made short shrift of this 4-0 result. Mark Willmore & Damian Hampton (Studley A) beat James Fitton & Chris McGregor (Studley B) 6-3, 6-4 and beat David Douglas & Ollie Smith (Studley B) 6-3, 7-6. Martyn Richards & Paul Farmer (Studley A) beat Douglas & Smith 6-3, 6-1, and beat Fitton & McGregor 6-4, 6-2.
Alcester regained superiority over Ardencote Manor both in the table and in this match by overcoming them 3-1, but only after a very tight match consisting of three out of four rubbers going to championship tie-break deciders. Tim Kenneally & Alex Woodbridge (Alcester) defeated Christian Hardy & Richard Butler (Ardencote) 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-6). They then beat Ben Summers & John Brain (Ardencote) 6-3, 7-5. Gaz Price & Stuart Beach (Alcester) defeated Summers & Brain 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (11-9) and then squeezed out Hardy & Butler 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-8).
Finally in the Premier Division, Littleton played host to Henley in their 2-2 draw. Andy Reynolds & Chris Elliott (Littleton) lost to Brett Mackay & Marcus Tate (Henley) 7-6, 3-6, 0-1 (4-10), and then lost 3-6, 0-6 to Max Retallack & Oli Didlick (Henley). Richard Herborn & Craig Witheford (Littleton) defeated Retallack & Didlick 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-7), and beat Mackay & Tate 7-6, 7-5.
The fight for the Division One title seems to be between just three teams, Moreton-in-Marsh, Pershore and Claverdon. Moreton with 24 points maintained their lead with a 3-1 win over bottom club Aston Cantlow (2). Joint second teams on 20 points each are Pershore and Claverdon after both drew 2-2, Pershore at home to fourth placed Snitterfield (10) and Claverdon to sixth placed Inkberrow (9). The joint fourth placed team Whitnash (10) had no match this week.
In Division Two HDA Redditch A doubled their lead to four at the top totalling 27 points following another 4-0 victory, this one at home against fourth placed Stratford B (15 points). Alcester B (23) overtook Ardencote Manor B (22) to go second, thanks to a 3-1 away win at Ardencote. Inkberrow B (12) lay fifth after drawing 2-2 with sixth placed FISSC (11). Chipping Campden A (11) are still in a relegation position despite their 4-0 beating of bottom side Shipston-on-Stour A (5).
Division Three remains as before with leaders Snitterfield B on 24 points, a point ahead of Claverdon B. Both sides won their matches with maximum 4-0 victories. Snitterfield beat third placed Studley C (18) and Claverdon beat bottom side Wildmoor Spa A (7). Fourth placed Henley-in-Arden B (18) moved up to joint third after defeating the penultimate team Alcester C (9) 3-1. Chipping Campden B (14) overtook Ilmington (13) to climb into fifth place just above them following their defeat of Ilmington 3-1.
Claverdon C on 24 points are the new leaders for Division Four as HDA Redditch B (23) are knocked off the top following a 3-1 loss to Inkberrow C (23) who, with this result, moved up to joint second with the Redditch side. Meanwhile Claverdon beat penultimate side Littleton B (11) 4-0. In other results fourth side Pershore B (18) claimed a 4-0 victory over bottom placed Chipping Campden C who have only 2 points this season. Moreton-in-Marsh B (15) drew 2-2 with Bidford-on-Avon A (12).
Finally, Division Five leaders are still Warwick (28), but with HDA Redditch C (26) hard on their heels. Warwick enjoyed a 4-0 victory over last but one side Evesham B (8), while Redditch side HDA C only managed a 3-1 win over fifth placed Bidford B (14). Third in the table Wildmoor Spa B (15) beat sixth side Inkberrow D (12 points) 3-1. In the last fixture bottom team Shipston B (7) drew 2-2 with third equal placed Moreton-in-Marsh C (15).
Photo shows Division Three side Henley-in-Arden B Team. Left to Right:
Alan Conway (captain), Craig Manders, John Lange and Steve Dixon.