Week three of the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League, covering the South Warwickshire area and parts of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, saw the competition at the top increase as current Champions Stratford-on-Avon drew equal at the top on 9 points with Evesham following Stratford’s convincing 4-0 win over bottom side Studley B. Meanwhile, leaders Evesham were held to a 2-2 draw away to fourth placed Ardencote Manor. Studley A drop a place to third on 8 points after they too were held to a 2-2 draw away to bottom but one team Littleton. Finally, Alcester on 6 points stay fifth after sharing a 2-2 draw with sixth placed Henley-in-Arden on 5 points.
Stratford, after a wobbly start, regained the top of the table with Evesham after this 4-0 victory over Studley B. This technically puts them at the top despite sharing with Evesham as they are +13 in sets to Evesham’s +11. Host captain Tim Page with Will Morley-Cotterall lead from the front beating Dave Douglas & Mark Wilmore (Studley B) 6-0, 6-2 and then James Fitton & Chris McGregor (Studley B) 6-0, 6-1. Stratford’s other pair Richard Monk & Ralf Nielsen beat Fitton & McGregor 6-3, 6-4 and beat Douglas & Wilmore 6-0, 6-4.
Evesham lost some ground over their adversaries after being held to this 2-2 draw at Ardencote. The opening rubber went Evsham’s way as Ardencote captain Myles Wilcox-Smith & Christian Hardy went down 4-6, 3-6 to Evesham’s John Clarke & Chris Francis. They then lost out to Evesham pair Simon Wall & Andy Crowther after a Tie-Break 3-6, 6-7 (3-7). However Ardencote’s other pairing of Ben Summers & Rich Butler surprised Evesham by beating Wall & Crowther 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8) in the closest of third set Championship Tie-Breaks, before going on to also defeat Wilcox-Smith & Hardy 6-4, 6-4.
Studley A also lost ground and a Premier Division position with a 2-2 draw at Littleton. Sean Witheford & Dave Rudge (Littleton) lost to Damian Hampton & Mark Wilmore (Studley A) 6-4, 6-7, 0-1 (6-10). They then beat Martyn Richards & Paul Farmer (Studley A) 7-6, 6-1. Richard Herborn & Simon Blewitt (Littleton) beat Richards & Farmer 6-4, 7-5 but lost toWitheford & Rudge 5-7, 1-6.
Alcester and Henley marked time with their 2-2 draw. The Alcester first pair Tim Kenneally & Stuart Beach took both their points by beating Brett McKay & Marcus Tate (Henley) 6-3, 6-2, and then beat Sam Turner & Stuart Kent (Henley) 6-3, 6-1. James Morley-Cotterill & Harvey Williams (Alcester) lost to Turner & Kent 0-6, 1-6 and lost to Kenneally & Beach 0-6, 0-6.
In Division One Moreton-in-Marsh have opened up a 4 point gap at the top already with 11 points following a 4-0 victory away to Whitnash. Pershore on 6 points move up the table to second after a good 4-0 home win over Inkberrow. Finally, Snitterfield hosted bottom club Aston Cantlow this week and the resulting 3-1 win for Snitterfield moves them up to third place (on sets difference behind Pershore) with 6 points pushing Claverdon down to fourth after they had no match.
Ardencote Manor B with 11 points top Division Two following a 4-0 away victory over Inkberrow B who drop to sixth. HDA Redditch A stay second place with 8 points despite being held to a 2-2 draw by fourth placed hosts Alcester B (6 points). Stratford B stay third with 7 points after they overcame bottom team Chipping Campden A 3-1. Finally, FISSC moved up to fourth equal after beating Shipston A away from home 4-0.
Division Three saw Claverdon B retain top spot with 9 points but having now to share it with Henley B and Studley C after they both enjoyed emphatic 4-0 victories. Claverdon B were held to a draw by fourth placed Snitterfield B (7 points), while Henley B beat next to bottom Chipping Campden B 4-0 and Studley C beat sixth place Alcester C 4-0. Ilmington were docked a point for fielding only one pair but stay fifth on 5 points after drawing 2-2 with bottom team Wildmoor Spa A.
It was all change at the top of Division Four when Claverdon C knocked Bidford-on-Avon A off the top and down to joint third spot when they beat them at Bidford 4-0. They share this lead with HDA Redditch B on 10 points apiece but with Claverdon +15 in sets to HDA’s +14. The Redditch outfit entertained and beat joint third placed Pershore B 3-1 leaving them on 7 points. Inkberrow C claim fifth equal with Littleton B on 5 points apiece. Inkberrow C managed to defeat Moreton B at Moreton-in-Marsh 3-1, while Littleton B won away from home against bottom placed Chipping Campden C 4-0.
On to Division Five which saw new club Warwick lead on 10 points thanks to a good 4-0 win at home to bottom team Shipston B. However, the Shipston side were only able to field one pair and were docked a league point. Wildmoor B, HDA Redditch C and Inkberrow D all lie equal second on 8 points. Wildmoor Spa B beat bottom but one side Evesham B 4-0, HDA Redditch C defeated Moreton-in-Marsh 3-1, and Inkberrow D beat Bidford B 4-0.