Photo of Premier Division Studley A Pair Damian Hampton & Mark Willmore in action on court.
The half way mark of the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League was reached with champions Stratford-on-Avon still on top despite being held to a 2-2 draw at Henley-in-Arden. This gives Stratford a total of 21 points while Henley lay in sixth place with 10. Previous nearest rivals Ardencote Manor (16) dropped two places after a 3-1 defeat to Studley A (17) who moved up to third with this result. Evesham finally broke their run of draws to beat Littleton (7) away 3-1. This meant that Evesham moved up to second place with 18 points, three behind leaders Stratford. Alcester also made up ground on the top teams when they almost whitewashed Studley B 4-0 who lay at the bottom of the table with 7 points. The match statistics showed 48 games for Alcester with only one game dropped, a remarkable feat and one which sees Alcester in fourth place with 16 points.
Stratford blooded a couple of new players with mixed results against Henley A and were disappointed to be held to a 2-2 draw. They started off well as Richard Monk with William Morley overcame Henley’s Max Rettallack & Marcus Tate 7-5, 6-2, but then went on to lose to Sam Turner & Oli Didlick (Henley) 6-7, 2-6. Callum Bailey & Tony Yates (Stratford) beat Turner & Didlick 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-8) after a third set championship tie-break. However, they too went on to lose their second rubber to Rettalack & Tate 5-7, 2-6.
Evesham celebrated a much needed victory to stay in touch for the Championship when they defeated Littleton 3-1. Chris Francis & Andy Crowther (Evesham) beat Richard Herborn & Dave Rudge ( Littleton) 6-2, 7-5 and beat Jack Philpott & Nick Murphy (Littleton) 7-5, 6-2. Simon Wall & Paul Everett beat Philpott & Murphy 6-4, 6-7, 1-0 (10-5) after a close Championship third set tie-break, but lost to Herborn & Rudge 5-7, 6-0, 0-1 (7-10) in another close rubber.
Ardencote Manor's chances of a title took a blow when the dropped two places in their defeat at the hands of Studley A. The latter's leading pair Mark Willmore & Damian Hampton beat Ben Summers & Richard Butler (Ardencote) 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-9) in a nail-biting finish. They then beat Myles Wilcox-Smith & John Brain (Ardencote) 6-2, 6-4. Martin Richards & Paul Farmer (Studley A) beat Wilcox-Smith & Brain 7-5, 6-4 but lost to Summers & Butler 1-6, 4-6.
Alcester closed up to the top half of the table with another 4-0 this time over Studley B. Pete Watson & Gareth Price (Alcester) beat Pete Battlewelch & Steve Stone (Studley B) 6-0, 6-0 and beat Vince Morrisey & Mark Eftichiou (Studley B) 6-1, 6-0. Tim Kenneally & Alex Woodbridge (Alcester) beat Morrisey & Eftichiou 6-0, 6-0 and beat Battlwelch & Stone 6-0, 6-0.
In Division One Moreton-in-Marsh maintained their lead after a 3-1 win over sixth placed Inkberrow (7 points) to give Moreton a total of 21 points. However, second side Pershore stepped a point closer amassing 18 points after they beat fourth placed Whitnash (10 points) 4-0. Claverdon, also on 18 points, beat bottom side Aston Cantlow (1) 4-0 to match Pershore and join them in equal second place. Snitterfield had no match this week.
In Division Two HDA Redditch A doubled their lead to two points at the top totalling 23 points following their 4-0 victory away to FISSC (9) of Stratford. Ardencote Manor B in second could only manage a 3-1 home victory over Chipping Campden A (7). Alcester (20) stay third after their 3-1 win over bottom team Shipston-on-Stour A (5). Stratford B (15) consolidated fourth place by beating fifth placed Inkberrow B (10) 3-1.
Division Three leaders remain Snitterfield B on 20 points despite being held to a 2-2 draw by sixth placed Chipping Campden B (11). Claverdon B a point behind in second also drew 2-2 away to fourth placed Henley B (15). Studley C closed up on the top two and are now on 18 points following a good 3-1 win over fifth placed Ilmington (12). Finally, the bottom two teams Alcester C (8) and Wildmoor Spa A (6) drew 2-2.
On to Division Four and the big match of the week was between the top two leaders HDA Redditch B and Claverdon C. Honours were shared in a 2-2 draw which saw the Redditch side retain their lead on 22 points with Claverdon C two points behind. Third placed Inkberrow C (20) played seventh placed Littleton B (11) and the 4-0 result meant that Inkberrow C moved up to joint second spot. Pershore B (14) stay fourth despite being held to a 2-2 draw by Bidford-on-Avon A (10). Finally, fifth placed Moreton-in-Marsh B (13) celebrated a 4-0 win over bottom side Chipping Campden C who have only two points.
Division Five leaders Warwick had their lead cut to one point as nearest challengers HDA Redditch C claimed a 4-0 victory away to lowly Evesham B (8 points). Meanwhile Warwick still top the table with 24 points but could only manage a 3-1 win over third placed Bidford B (13). Equal third Moreton-in-Marsh C drew 2-2 with fifth placed Wildmoor Spa B (12). Bottom side Shipston B (5) managed a 2-2 draw at home to sixth placed Inkberrow D (11).
Wildmoor Spa Tennis League – 2015-15 By Corin Bishop