Press Release No. 18....24/06/2015
Wildmoor Spa Tennis Men’s League – Week 9
Week 9 of the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League saw leaders Stratford-on-Avon leading the table by four points with a total of 27 following their 4-0 thrashing of bottom but one side Littleton (9 points). Studley A (23) stay second despite drawing 2-2 with fourth equal placed Alcester (21). Third placed Evesham are a point further back with 22 after they too drew 2-2 with sixth side Henley-in-Arden (14). Finally, equal fourth Ardencote Manor enjoyed a good 4-0 win over bottom team Studley B (7).
Stratford at home was dominant over visitors Littleton claiming a straight sets victory. Adam Moran & Will Morely-Cotterall (Stratford) beat Sean Witheford & Chris Elliott (Littleton) 6-1, 6-0, and beat Jack Philpott & Simon Blewitt (Littleton) 7-5, 6-3. Stratford captain Tim Page with top player Callum Bailey beat Philpott & Blewitt 6-3, 6-1, and beat Witheford & Elliott 6-1, 6-2.
Ardencote Manor also enjoyed maximum points in beating bottom side Studley B in straight sets. Ardencote captain Myles Wilcox-Smith & Christian Hardy beat Oliver Smith & Dave Douglas (Studley B) 6-4, 6-1, and beat Chris McGregor & Mark Eftichiou (Studley B) 6-0, 6-4. Ben Summers & John Brain (Ardencote) beat McGregor & Eftichiou 6-1, 6-0, and beat Smith & Douglas 6-0, 6-1.
Second placed Studley A dropped two points to Stratford after being held to this 2-2 draw by Alcester. Stuart Beach & Alex Woodbridge (Alcester) lost to Mark Willmore & Damian Hampton (Studley A) in a close match 1-6, 6-2, 0-1 (7-10), but beat Martyn Richards & Paul Farmer (Studley A) 6-1, 6-2. Pete Watson & Tim Kenneally (Alcester) beat Richards & Farmer 6-2, 6-2, but lost to Willmore & Hampton 5-7, 4-6.
Evesham stay third after yet another 2-2 draw, this time with Henley. Neil Supperstone & Sam Turner (Henley) beat Jack Crossley & Andy Crowther (Evesham) 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-6), and then beat Ray Foster-Morison & Chris Francis (Evesham) 6-1, 6-3. Justin Pahl & Marcus Tate (Henley) lost to Foster-Morison & Francis 0-6, 6-3, 0-1 (6-10) and lost to Crossley & Crowther 1-6, 1-6.
The Division One title battle hots up with the leaders Moreton-in-Marsh travelling to second placed Claverdon where they went down 3-1. This allowed Claverdon, with a total of 23, to close the gap to just two points. Third placed Pershore (20) had no match this week. Snitterfield (13) climbed to fourth place and pushed Whitnash (11) down to fifth by beating them 3-1. Bottom teams Inkberrow (11) and Aston Cantlow (4) drew 2-2.
In Division Two HDA Redditch A (31) maintained their four point lead at the head of the division by beating sixth positioned Inkberrow B (12) away 4-0. Alcester B (27) kept second spot by beating penultimate side Chipping Campden A (11) 4-0. Hard on their heels in third are Ardencote Manor B (26) who also enjoyed a 4-0 win away to bottom side Shipston A (5). Finally in division two, fourth team Stratford B (17) were held to a 2-2 draw by FISSC (13).
Division Three saw Snitterfield B with 27 points pull clear of second side Claverdon B (24) when Snitterfield won their match 3-1 over sixth side Ilmington (14). Meanwhile, Claverdon B went down to a shock 3-1 defeat to bottom but one side Alcester C (12). Studley C (21) stayed third by recording a 3-1 win over fifth placed Chipping Campden B (15). Henley B kept up with Studley C as third equal when they also won 3-1 against Wildmoor Spa A (7).
Once again the leadership at the top of Division Four changed as HDA Redditch B (27) regained the honour thanks to a maximum points 4-0 win over relegation threatened Littleton B (11). The big match of the week was between last week’s table toppers Claverdon C and third placed Inkberrow C. Inkberrow’s 3-1 victory saw them not only knock the Claverdon team off the top and total 26 points but also gain second spot and push Claverdon down to third place on 25 points. Mid-table Moreton-in-Marsh B (18) gained ground on the team above them Pershore B, who lay fourth, by beating them 3-1 and now only trail Pershore by a solitary point. Finally, Bidford-on-Avon A (16) took a big stride away from the relegation zone with a 4-0 away win over bottom team Chipping Campden C (2).
Finally, Division Five leaders Warwick (28), who have led most of the season, were knocked off the top and replaced by Redditch side HDA C (30) after the latter enjoyed a convincing 4-0 away victory at Warwick. Moreton-in-Marsh C (18) were the only other team to gain a victory when they recorded a 3-1 win over sixth placed Inkberrow D (13). Fourth side Wildmoor Spa B (17) drew 2-2 with joint last side Shipston B (9). Lastly, joint bottom of the league Evesham B (9) drew with fifth placed Bidford-on-Avon B (16)
Photo shows Division Five leaders Redditch side HDA C Team. Left to Right:
Andrew Hanson, Lubos Smoliarr, Matthew Gill (captain) and Mircea Tereujanu.