Wildmoor Spa Tennis Men’s League – Week 13 (Penultimate Week)

In The penultimate week of the Wildmoor Spa Men's Tennis League, with champions Stratford-on-Avon already crowned, they lost their first match of the season 3-1 to fifth placed Moreton-in-Marsh (23).  There were extenuating circumstances as Stratford had three top matches on the same match night including a top Coventry League match and so were forced to field a weakened side.  This result, and the 2-2 draw gained by sixth placed Henley-in-Arden (22) against fourth placed Evesham (25), meant that Studley (18), who were beaten 3-1 by third placed Ardencote Manor (31) were relegated alongside Claverdon (6).  The latter Claverdon could only manage one pair against second placed Alcester (32) in their 4-0 loss and so were docked an additional point by the league.

Moreton-in-Marsh pair James Elliott & Brian Lomas proved too strong for Stratford captain Tim Page and stand-in partner Mark Evans as Moreton emerged 6-3, 6-4, victors.  Elliott & Lomas then went on to beat stand-in pair Steve Righton & Roy Malik (Stratford) 6-3, 6-4.  Chris Elliott & Chris Adams (Moreton) beat Righton & Malik 6-0, 6-1, but lost to Page & Evans 2-6, 4-6.

Alcester moved alone into second place with their 4-0 win.  Two of their points came from walkovers as Claverdon were only able to turn out one pair and were docked a further point by the league.  In the remaining two rubbers Alcester’s Tim Kenneally & Pete Watson beat Andy Ashley & Sam Ward (Claverdon) 6-0, 7-5, while Stuart Beach & Alex Woodbridge (Alcester) beat Ashley & Ward 6-3, 6-1.

Ardencote Manor dropped to third when only managing to win three rubbers against Studley.  Ben Summers & Myles Wilcox-Smith (Ardencote) beat Martyn Richards & Mark Willmore (Studley) 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 after a Championship tie-break, and beat Paul Farmer & Mathew Underwood (Studley) 6-1, 6-1.  John Brain & Pete Thomas (Ardencote) beat Farmer & Underwood 6-2, 6-2, but lost to Richards & Willmore 4-6, 3-6.

Played at Henley, Evesham still managed a 2-2 draw with their top pair Chris Francis & Andrew Crowther claiming both of Evesham’s points.  They beat Sam Turner & Brett Mackay (Henley) 6-4, 7-5, and beat Tom Griffiths & Matt Williams (Henley) 6-4, 6-1.  On the other court Evesham’s second pair Simon Wall & Ray Foster-Morison were not successful, losing to Griffiths & Williams 2-6, 6-7, and losing to Turner & Mackay 2-6, 1-6. 

In Division One HDA Redditch with 42 points and already confirmed champions were awarded a 4-0 walkover Whitnash (10) who did not raise a team to play and as a consequence are docked points and confirmed relegated as bottom of the division alongside Studley B (11).   Alcester (28) made it a five team race for promotion when they beat relegated Studley and moved up to joint second place.  Fourth placed Snitterfield, who are only a point behind with 27, did well to draw 2-2 with joint second placed Pershore (28). The race for the second promotion place became even hotter as Littleton (27) kept their hopes of promotion alive in fourth equal spot by beating joint fourth Ardencote (27) 3-1.  Never before, with only a week to go, have five teams been battling so closely for promotion.

Chipping Campden A (44) are all but champions of the Division Two title, with one week of the season to go, after an excellent 4-0 win over fourth placed Snitterfield B (26).  Inkberrow A (40) stay second after they also recorded a 4-0 win over fifth placed Claverdon B (23).  Mathematically they could still catch Campden but would require Campden to lose 4-0 while Inkberrow win 4-0 to do so, which is an unlikely scenario.  Stratford B (39) are pushing for the second promotion place after they registered a resounding 4-0 victory over FISSC (13) who are in danger of the drop now to Division Three.  Finally, Studley C (14) overtook FISSC after an invaluable 4-0 result over relegated Aston Cantlow (4).

The Division Three title race has seen a change again as Shipston A take over at the top with 36 points thanks to a decisive 4-0 victory over relegated Inkberrow C (1).  Hard on their heels are Henley B with 33 points but they had no match this week.  The other team now on 33 in joint second spot is Alcester C who could only draw 2-2 with fourth placed HDA B Redditch (19).  Fifth placed Claverdon C (13) beat sixth placed Inkberrow B (13) 3-1.

Pershore B already crowned Division Four champions with 44 points, celebrated by defeating third placed Moreton-in-Marsh B (27) 3-1 and in doing so dashed Moreton’s chance of promotion.  This place was confirmed by Warwick (32) when they overcame fourth placed Chipping Campden B (26) 3-1.  This means that Warwick, who only joined the league last year have been promoted in each season of their league participation.  At the bottom Littleton B (14) beat Moreton-in-Marsh C (8) 3-1, but it meant both teams were confirmed relegated to Division Five next year.  A final fixture saw mid-table teams Wildmoor Spa A (18) play HDA C Redditch (23) with the result a 2-2 draw.

Finally, in Division Five, champions Bidford-on-Avon A (44) celebrated at home by thumping HDA Redditch D Team (12) 4-0.  Bidford B (36) kept second place with a 4-0 bashing of fourth placed Warwickshire County Council (25).  Evesham B (35) are also very much in the promotion race in third after they too thrashed bottom of the league Chipping Campden C (2) 4-0.  In mid-table sixth placed Shipston B (21) had a 4-0 walkover Wildmoor Spa B who as a result are fined and docked two points by the league.

Wildmoor Spa Tennis League       By Corin Bishop