Wildmoor Spa Men’s Tennis League – Week 3

Week 3 of the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League saw Champions Stratford-on-Avon stretch their lead at the top of the Premier Division with 11 points after a convincing 4-0 victory over Claverdon.  Alcester are three points behind in second place thanks to their 4-0 away win over Ardencote Manor, who drop to equal third on 7 points following this defeat.  Evesham climbed to join Ardencote in equal third with a 3-1 win over Studley, while Moreton-in-Marsh moved up to fifth spot on 6 points by defeating sixth placed Henley-in-Arden (5points) 3-1.

Stratford top pair Callum Bailey & William Morley-Cotterell dropped only three games in their rubbers beating Richard Butler & Carsten Astheimer (Claverdon) 6-1, 6-2, and beating Andy Ashley & his Claverdon partner 6-0, 6-0.  Tm Page & Simon West beat Ashley & partner 6-1, 6-1, and beat Butler & Astheimer 6-1, 6-3.

Alcester enjoyed another straight sets victory this time away to Ardencote Manor.  Gareth Price & Stuart Beach (Alcester) beat Christian Hardy & Pete Thomas (Ardencote) 6-0, 6-2 and beat Ben Summers & Jake Smith (Ardencote) 6-2, 6-2.  Tim Kenneally & Pete Watson (Alcester) beat Summers & Smith 6-1, 6-2 and defeated Hardy & Thomas 6-1, 7-5.

Evesham continued their climb up the table with a good away win at Studley.  Their top pair on the night, Julian Heath & Simon Wall beat Martyn Richards & Jack Richie (Studley) 6-1, 6-4 and beat Damian Hampton & Mark Willmore (Studley) 6-3, 6-4.  Chris Francis & Ray Foster-Morison (Evesham) lost to Hampton & Willmore 3-6, 2-6, but beat Richards & Richie 6-3, 6-2.

Finally, the last Premier Division fixture Moreton-in-Marsh made headway with their 3-1 win.  James Elliott & Gary Jackson (Moreton) beat Tom Griffiths & John Lee (Henley) 6-1, 6-0 and beat Brett Mackay & Sam Turner (Henley) 6-0, 7-5.  Brian Lomas & Greg Stotesbury (Moreton) lost to Mackay & Turner 4-6, 4-6, but beat Griffiths & Lee 6-2, 6-2.

In Division One HDA Redditch opened up a three point lead with 8 points which owed much to their 4-0 win at the expense of Ardencote Manor B, although the match was closer fought than the score suggests.  No less than five teams share second spot with 5 points apiece.  They are Alcester B, Littleton, Snitterfield, Studley B and Whitnash.  Littleton defeated Alcester B 3-1, Whitnash similarly beat Snitterfield 3-1, while Studley B overcame Pershore 3-1.

On to Division Two where Stratford B emulated their A Team by leading their table with 11 points.  They again enjoyed a 4-0 victory this time over fourth placed Chipping Campden A (6).  Inkberrow A are hard on their heels a point behind after beating Studley C 4-0.  FISSC moved up to third place with 7 points following a 4-0 straight sets win over Aston Cantlow who have yet to register a point.  The match between Snitterfield B and Claverdon B was postponed due to rain.

Division Three results meant another change at the top with Shipston A taking the lead with 10 points thanks to their 4-0 win over HDA B Redditch. (4).  Henley B moved up to second with 9 points after they pushed Inkberrow B (8) down to third spot after beating them 4-0.  Finally, Ilmington (7) claimed fourth place with their 3-1 defeat of fifth placed Alcester C (5). 

In Division Four Pershore B stay top with 10 points and a 4-0 result over Wildmoor Spa A (3).  Moreton-in-Marsh B (8 points) stay joint second after a straight sets win over Littleton B (3).  Warwick are the other team in joint second with a 3-1 win over Moreton C (5).  Lastly, Chipping Campden B (7) moved up to fourth position with a 2-2 draw at home to HDA C Redditch (4).

Finally, in Division Five Bidford-on-Avon A stay top with 7 points despite their game versus Warwickshire County Council having to be stopped due to rain and to be completed later.  This allowed Bidford B and Evesham B to join them at the top after Bidford B beat Wildmoor Spa B 3-1 and Evesham B defeated HDA D Redditch 3-1.  Shipston-on-Stour B jumped up to fourth place with 5 points thanks to their 4-0 victory over Chipping Campden C.

Wildmoor Spa Tennis League – 2016-09

By Corin Bishop