The Wildmoor Spa Tennis League
Wildmoor Spa Men’s Tennis League – Week 5
Week 5 of the Men’s Wildmoor Spa Summer Tennis League and Stratford-on-Avon with 18 points dropped only their second point of the season in their 3-1 win over Alcester A who drop to fourth with 9 points after this defeat. Second placed Ardencote Manor (13) slipped a further point back after surprisingly being held to a 2-2 draw by Alcester B (7) who are the penultimate team in the Premier Division. Henley A went clear in third following their 3-1 victory over joint fourth placed HDA Redditch (9). Sixth side Evesham (8) managed a 3-1 win over bottom placed Moreton-in-Marsh (5).
Stratford pair Callum Bailey & Pieter Uys-Barnard struggled before squeezing out Alcester’s Stuart Beach & Marcus Powell after a championship tie-break 2-6, 6-3, 1-0. However, they found things easier when they beat Alex Woodbridge & Tim Kenneally (Alcester) 6-2, 6-3. The returning Stratford captain Tim Page with partner Chris Marrow beat Woodbridge & Kenneally 6-4, 6-4, but lost to Beach & Powell 2-6, 5-7.
Ardencote Manor lost ground in this draw as their players Pete Thomas & Phil Silk lost to Gareth Price & Jack Herdsman (Alcester B) 4-6, 2-6, and lost to Matt Fielding & Barney Williams 3-6, 1-6. In contrast Ardencote’s other pair Ben Summers & John Brain beat Fielding & Williams 6-4, 7-5, and beat Price & Herdsman 6-4, 3-6, 1-0.
Henley enjoyed an important victory despite a bad start. Sam Turner & Max Retallack (Henley) lost to Terry Iduitua & Lubo Smoliar (HDA) 3-6, 6-3, 0-1, but beat Harvey Ravenscroft & Stewart Roney (HDA) 6-0, 6-2. Tom Griffiths & Matt Williams (Henley) beat Ravenscroft & Roney 6-0, 6-0, and beat Iduitua & Smoliar 6-2, 6-1.
In the final Premier fixture Evesham managed to beat Moreton 3-1 as Andrew Crowther & Chris Francis (Evesham) overcame James Elliott & Gary Jackson (Moreton) 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 and beat Chris Elliott & Brian Lomas (Moreton) 6-1, 6-2. Julian Heath & John Clarke (Evesham) beat Elliott & Lomas 6-3, 6-2 but lost to Elliott & Jackson 4-6, 2-6.
Division One leaders are still Chipping Campden on 15 points, but lost ground after being held to a 2-2 draw by fourth placed Claverdon (10) who were playing on their home courts. Studley (13) jumped up to second spot thanks to their 4-0 win over Stratford B (8). Meanwhile, Littleton (12) overtook Pershore (11) to take third place, after Littleton soundly beat bottom of the division Snitterfield (3) by a convincing 4-0 scoreline. Pershore for their part was held to a 2-2 draw by Ardencote B (8).
In Division Two leaders Henley B retained their lead with 17 points after a 4-0 drubbing of bottom side Studley B (2). Inkberrow A (15) stayed in second place after they beat Alcester C (9) 4-0. Shipston A (12) moved up to third after a 3-1 win over sixth placed Snitterfield B (8). Fourth placed FISSC (11) lost ground when they hosted the penultimate team in the table Claverdon B (6) but only came away with a 2-2 draw.
In Division Three HDA B of Redditch (15) go clear at the top after a 3-1 win over top of the table rivals Warwick (13). Chipping Campden B (12) closed up to within a point of Warwick, to lie third in the table, thanks to a 3-1 win over Pershore B (6). Aston Cantlow (3) celebrated their first points of the season with a 3-1 victory over pointless Claverdon C who remain rock bottom of the table with only a solitary point. Inkberrow B had no match this week.
Newly promoted Bidford A continued their recent form and stretched their lead in Division Four to five points. They now have a total of 20 league points after beating Moreton-in-Marsh B (5) 4-0. Match of the week was between the previously second and third teams Inkberrow C and Wildmoor Spa A respectively. They met at Inkberrow and the home side gained a 3-1 victory to leave them in second on 15 points with Wildmoor Spa A on 12. HDA C Redditch (9) drew 2-2 with Evesham B (8) to stay fourth and fifth equal. Bidford B (8) moved up to equal fifth when they claimed their second win on the trot by beating Moreton-in-Marsh C 3-1. Moreton C now sit at the bottom on 3 points.
In Division Five Shipston-on-Stour B stayed top with 16 points and Chipping Campden C second with 14 points, as both recorded victories. Shipston’s was 3-1 away to Warwickshire County Council (10) and Campden’s 4-0 at Home to Inkberrow D (6). Wildmoor Spa B (11) moved up to third in the table after they brushed aside HDA D of Redditch (5) 4-0, with the latter anchored to the foot of the league. Tysoe (10) dropped to fourth equal with Warwickshire County Council after being held to a 2-2 draw by sixth placed Henley C (8).