The Wildmoor Spa Tennis League
Ardencote B Tennis Team
Left to Right: Steve Hussey, David Benjamin, Mark Cook (Capt), Richard Lucas
(Covering South Warwickshire & parts or Worcestershire & Gloucs.)
Wildmoor Spa Tennis Men’s League Gets Underway – Week 1
The Wildmoor Spa Tennis League covering the South Warwickshire area and parts of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire got underway for the summer season with a strong contingent of 47 teams in six divisions.
Evesham share the lead at the top of the Premier Division with Champions Stratford-on-Avon as both recorded 3-1 wins and both have +4 on points difference. Evesham’s victory was away to newly promoted HDA of Redditch, while Stratford’s was at home against Ardencote Manor. Henley-in-Arden are also on three league points after they opened their season with a 3-1 victory at home to Moreton-in-Marsh. The final Premier fixture saw a 2-2 draw between Alcester A and Alcester B teams.
Last year’s runners-up Evesham opened their campaign with a good 3-1 away victory at Redditch side HDA. Evesham captain and veteran Ray Foster-Morison, partnering Chris Francis, began with a straight sets 6-4, 6-3, win over Terry Iduitua & Andrew Hanson (HDA Redditch). However, they then went down 2-6, 2-6, to HDA’s Thomas Cop & Matthew Cutler. On the other court the other Evesham pair of Andrew Crowther & Julian Heath fared better winning both their rubbers 6-2, 6-4, against Cop & Cutler and 6-0, 6-0, over Iduitua & Hanson.
Stratford pair Callum Bailey & Cameron Malik defeated Ben Summers & Jack Smith (Ardencote) 6-2, 7-5, and then beat Pete Thomas & Christian Hardy (Ardencote) 6-0, 6-2. Simon West & Chris Marrow (Stratford) beat Thomas & Hardy 6-2, 6-4, but lost to Summers & Smith 3-6, 2-6.
Henley-in-Arden also won 3-1 beating Moreton-in-Marsh. Henley had home advantage and made it count, but it took a Championship tie-Break deciders in the opening two rubbers. Henley skipper Brett Mackay & Sam Turner squeezed past Moreton’s James Elliott & Greg Stotesbury 6-4, 3-6, 1-0, before beating Brian Lomas & Chris Adams (Moreton) 6-3, 6-2. Oli Didlick & Tom Griffiths (Henley) also needed a tie-break to win 6-7, 6-1, 1-0 over Lomas & Adams, but then went down 1-6, 2-6 to Elliott & Stotesbury.
In the final Premier Division match Alcester A played Alcester B and the honours were shared in a 2-2 draw. Alex Woodbridge & Marcus Powell took both points for the A Team beating Barney Williams & Matt Fielding (Alcester B) 6-2, 6-2, and beating Gareth Price & Jack Herdsman (Alcester B) 6-1. 6-1. On the other court the Alcester A team captain Tim Kenneally & Will Smith went down 5-7, 2-6 to Price & Herdsman and lost 4-6, 2-6 to Williams & Fielding.
In Division One Chipping Campden took an early lead in the table when they beat Ardencote Manor B Team at Ardencote 4-0. Stratford B are second in the table thanks to their 3-1 home win over Snitterfield. The other two matches between Claverdon versus Pershore and Littleton against Studley both resulted in 2-2 draws.
Division Two saw Henley B top their table with 4-0 home win over Inkberrow A. Snitterfield A sit second thanks to their 3-1 victory at home to Claverdon B. The other two matches between Studley B versus Alcester C and FISSC against Shipston A both resulted in 2-2 draws.
Division Three results saw two teams top the table with maximum point results. They were, newly promoted Warwick who beat Claverdon C 4-0, and HDA B Redditch who beat Aston Cantlow 4-0. In the final match Pershore B entertained Inkberrow B in a competitive 2-2 draw.
On to Division Four in which Moreton-in-Marsh B showed the way with a 4-0 home win over sister side Moreton C. Joining them at the top are Bidford-on-Avon A who also beat their sister side Bidford B 4-0. Wildmoor Spa A opened their season with a good away victory 3-1 over Evesham B. Inkberrow C were at home to HDA C of Redditch resulting in a 2-2 draw.
Finally, in Division Five Shipston B and Chipping Campden C share top spot after they both recorded 4-0 home wins. Shipston’s was over HDA D Redditch while Campden’s win was at the expense of Henley C. New side Tysoe entertained Inkberrow D and enjoyed a 3-1 win in their first match. Meanwhile Wildmoor B drew at home 2-2 with Warwickshire County Council.
Wildmoor Spa Tennis League – 2017-04
By Corin Bishop