Week 4 of the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League saw the top two teams, Stratford-on-Avon and Alcester continue to pull away at the top of the Premier Division with 14 and 12 points respectively. Both enjoyed comfortable wins, Stratford 3-1 away to fourth placed Evesham (8 points) and Alcester 4-0 over sixth placed Moreton-in-Marsh (6). This latter win brought Alcester closer to the league leaders. Third placed Ardencote Manor (9) drew 2-2 away to fifth placed Henley-in-Arden (7). The last Premier fixture matched the bottom two teams Claverdon and Studley and resulted in a 3-1 away win for Studley.
Alcester enjoyed another victory against good opposition 4-0. However, Moreton-in-Marsh made them work hard in two of the rubbers taking them to Championship decider Tie-Breaks. Stuart Beach & Tom Watson (Alcester) squeezed past Gary Jackson & James Elliott (Moreton) 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 in an extremely close fought encounter. They then went on to beat Brian Loams & Chris Elliott (Moreton) 6-2, 6-2. Tim Kenneally & Pete Watson (Alcester) beat Lomas & Elliott 6-2, 6-1 and then edged out an unlucky Jackson & Elliott 6-1, 3-6, 1-0.
Stratford top player Callum Bailey, this time partnered by Simon West, beat Andrew Crowther & John Clarke (Evesham) 6-1, 6-0 and beat Julian Heath & Simon Wall (Evesham) 7-5, 6-3. Tim Page & Richard Monk (Stratford) eased past Heath & Wall 6-4, 7-6, but lost out to Crowther & Clarke 1-6, 1-6.
Ardencote A kept third place mainly thanks to the efforts of their leading duo Ben Summers & Jack Smith. They won both their rubbers, 6-3, 6-2 against Sam Turner & Brett Mackay (Henley) and 6-2, 6-3 over Tom Griffiths & Oli Didlick. Ardencote captain Myles Wilcox-Smith & Christian Hardy went down 6-1, 6-7, 0-1 to Griffiths & Didlick and 1-6, 6-7 to Turner & Mackay.
Finally, the last Premier Division fixture saw the bottom sides Claverdon play Studley. This was a good away result for Studley and was mainly due to their duo Martin Richards & Damian Gulbicki who won both their rubbers beating Richard Butler & Carsten Astheimer (Claverdon) 6-1, 6-1, and Andy Ashley & James Courier (Claverdon) 6-3, 6-3. Mark Willmore & Damian Hampton (Studley) beat Ashley & Courier 7-6, 6-1, but lost to Butler & Astheimer 3-6, 3-6.
In Division One HDA Redditch (13 points) extended their lead to 5 points after playing two matches. The first was an earlier rain postponed match away to equal second placed Snitterfield (8) which the Redditch outfit won 3-1. They followed this up the next day with their regular fixture away to sixth placed Pershore (6) in which they were held to a 2-2 draw. In second spot are Whitnash with 8 points thanks to a 3-1 win over also equal sixth Littleton (6). Snitterfield moved up to joint second place with Whitnash after their regular fixture against Alcester B finished in a 2-2 draw. The final fixture between bottom sides Ardencote B (7) and Studley B (3) saw a resounding 4-0 win for Ardencote and lifted them from bottom up to fourth equal in the table.
Division Two leaders Stratford B have 14 points due to their 3-1 win away to the penultimate side Studley C (4 points). Chipping Campden A (10) moved up to second following a good 4-0 victory over the now joint second Inkberrow A (10). FISSC (9) drop to fourth after being held to a 2-2 draw by sixth side Snitterfield B (5). Finally, Claverdon B (8) moved up to fifth following a 4-0 thrashing of bottom team Aston Cantlow.
Division Three leaders remain Shipston-on-Stour A with 14 points when they won 4-0 away from home against fourth placed Inkberrow B (8). Henley-in-Arden B (13) stayed second three points behind as they also celebrated an away 4-0 victory over sixth positioned HDA B Redditch (4). Alcester C (9) moved up two places to third after they too enjoyed a 4-0 away result against Inkberrow C (3). The final match between Ilmington (9) and Claverdon C (4) resulted in a 2-2 draw. This result moved Ilmington up to equal third but Claverdon stay last.
It is as you were at the top of Division Four. Pershore B stay top with 14 points and a 4-0 win away to fifth placed Moreton-in-Marsh C (6 points). Warwick kept up the chase in second with 12 points after a 4-0 victory over bottom placed Wildmoor Spa A (2). Third placed Moreton-in-Marsh B (11) took on Redditch side HDA C (5) and beat them 3-1. Chipping Campden B (9), who lie in fourth position in the table, were held to a 2-2 draw by joint penultimate team Littleton B (5).
Finally, Division Five saw Bidford-on-Avon A stay top with 11 points claiming a maximum 4-0 victory over bottom side Chipping Campden C (2). Wildmoor Spa A (10) shot up to second spot and displacde their opponents Evesham B down to fourth, still on 7 points, thanks to Wildmoor’s 4-0 victory. Bidford B (8) dropped to third due to a 3-1 away defeat to equal fifth HDA D Redditch (6). Warwickshire County Council (6) moved up to joint fifth after celebrating a 3-1 win away to Shipston-on-Stour B (6) who are also equal fifth.