We reach week four of the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League, covering the South Warwickshire area and parts of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, and current Champions Stratford-on-Avon reclaim top spot on their own as they overwhelmed Alcester 4-0. Meanwhile previous joint leaders Evesham slip up by being held for a second week running to a 2-2 draw, this time away to third placed Studley A. Ardencote Manor moved up to join Studley A in third place with both on 10 points after they defeated Littleton away from home 3-1. Finally, Henley-in-Arden were held to a 2-2 draw away to bottom side Studley B.
Stratford lead the league by two clear points with 13 and enjoyed their best victory so far dropping only two games during the entire match. This result pushes Alcester down to fifth place with 6 points. Callum Bailey & Ralf Neilsen (Stratford) returned a near flawless performance beating Mike Smithers & Sam Hawker (Alcester) 6-1, 6-0, and then James Moreley-Cotteral & Jack Newbold (Alcester) 6-0, 6-0. Host captain Tim Page with old partner Simon West (Stratford) matched this by beating Moreley-Cotterall & Newbold 6-0, 6-0, and beating Smithers & Hawker 6-0, 6-1.
Evesham on 11 points lost some ground over their adversaries after being held to this 2-2 draw by Studley B. The opening rubber went Evesham’s way as Studley B pair Damian Hampton & Mark Willmore lost to Andy Crowther & Simon Wall (Evesham) 4-6, 2-6 but then beat Chris Francis & Ray Foster-Morison (Evesham) 6-2, 6-2. Meanwhile Studley A duo Martyn Richards & Paul Farmer beat Francis & Foster-Morison 6-3, 7-5, but lost to Crowther & Wall 1-6, 2-6.
Ardencote Manor moved up to joint third in the table after their 3-1 away win over Littleton. Sean Witheford & Dave Rudge (Littleton) lost to Ben Summers & Rich Butler (Ardencote) 4-6, 3-6, and lost to Myles Wilcox-Smith & Jack Smith (Ardencote) 6-7 (3-7), 3-6. Richard Herborn & Jack Phillpot (Littleton) beat Wilcox-Smith & Smith 6-2, 7-6, but lost to Summers & Butler 1-6, 2-6.
Henley marked time again when they drew 2-2 away with bottom side Studley B. James Fitton & Chris McGregor (Studley B) lost to Matthew Williams & Oliver Didlick (Henley) 1-6, 3-6, but beat Brett Mackay & Justin Pahr (Henley) 6-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10-3) after a third set Championship tie-breaker. David Douglas & Ollie Smith (Studley B) lost to Mackay & Pahr 6-7, 2-6 but beat Williams & Didlick 6-1, 6-4.
In Division One Moreton-in-Marsh have opened up a 5 point gap at the top already with 14 points following a great 3-1 victory away to previously second placed Pershore A, who now have only 7 points and drop to third. Claverdon leap into second place on 9 points thanks to a resounding 4-0 away victory over Snitterfield. Whitnash (6 points) moved up the table to joint fourth position with Snitterfield thanks to their 3-1 away win over Inkberrow (3 points). Bottom team Aston Cantlow with 2 points had no match this week.
HDA Redditch A have taken over at the top of Division Two with 12 points as a result of their 4-0 beating of Shipston-on-Stour A. Ardencote Manor B with 11 points dropped to second place as their match against Stratford B had been re-arranged to later. Alcester B with 9 points have fallen a place to third despite their 3-1 win over FISSC of Stratford. Stratford B, because of their match being re-arranged, lay fourth with 7 points. Chipping Campden A are sixth with 6 points, a point ahead of Inkberrow B after they defeated them 3-1.
Division Three saw Claverdon B retain top spot with 12 points sharing with Studley C after both enjoyed 3-1 wins. The Claverdon B result was away to Chipping Campden B and Studley C overcame hosts Wildmoor Spa A. Henley B were knocked off joint top and slip to joint third with their conquerors Snitterfield B who beat them 3-1. Both now have 10 points apiece. Fifth and sixth places remain Ilmington (7 points) and Alcester C (6) following their 2-2 draw against each other.
In Division Four HDA Redditch B moved to the top by a solitary point with 13 after they had a good 3-1 away victory over Bidford A who, with this result, dropped to equal fourth on 8 points. Claverdon C drop to second after being held to a 2-2 draw at home to third placed Pershore B (9 points). Equal fourth placed Inkberrow C overcame bottom team Chipping Campden C (2 points) 3-1 and Moreton-in-Marsh B drew level sixth with Littleton B on 6 points each after Moreton beat Littleton 3-1.
Lastly in Division Five new club Warwick reached 14 points and still lead the table after another 4-0 win, this time at the expense of Inkberrow D. HDA Redditch C moved clear in second spot on 12 points following their 4-0 Home win over Wildmoor Spa B. No less than four teams now share third place with 8 points each. They are Wildmoor Spa B, Bidford-on-Avon B, Inkberrow D and Moreton-in-Marsh C. Bidford B were given a 4-0 walkover bottom placed Shipston B who failed to field a team and were fined and docked a further two points leaving them with zero points in the table. Moreton B drew 2-2 with the penultimate placed team Evesham B (3 points).