Wildmoor Tennis League – 2018-19 (Men’s Week 12)
By Corin Bishop
Leaders of PremierDivision – Stratford-on-Avon. From Left to Right:
Callum Bailey, Tim Page (Capt.), Simon West & Cameron Malik.
The Wildmoor Spa Tennis League – Week 12
(Covering South Warwickshire & parts or Worcestershire & Gloucs.)
Week 12 of the Men's Wildmoor Summer Tennis League and Stratford-on-Avon (37) are only a couple of points away from yet another League title. They managed a great 3-1 win over their nearest challengers Chipping Campden (30). Meanwhile Alcester A (29) pulled to within a point of Campden by beating relegated Redditch (4) 4-0. Alcester B (24) moved up to fourth behind their sister side thanks to a good 3-1 victory over Ardencote Manor (21). Pershore (22) had a great 4-0 win at home to Henley-in-Arden (21). This leaves a fascinating battle at the bottom between Pershore , Ardencote and Henley to decide who goes down alongside Redditch to Division One next year.
Callum Bailey paired up with new partner Simon West and found life tougher than normal. After beating Chippng Campden’s Martyn Ledbury & George Richards 6-1, 6-1, they went down in a tight tussle with Tobias Kemp & Tom Partridge (Campden) 6-1, 5-7, 0-1 after a championship tie-break. Fortunately, for Stratford their other pair Cameron Malik & Max Hurtubise beat Kemp & Partridge 6-2, 6-2, and beat Ledbury & Richards 6-4, 6-4 for a 3-1 win.
Alcester A enjoyed a comfortable straight sets victory as their pair Alex Woodbridge & Charlie Watson beat James MacDonald & Will Henson (Redditch) 6-0, 6-2 and beat Ben Portman & Darren Shennan (Redditch) 6-1, 6-0. Stuart Beach & James Moreley-Cotterell (Alcester A) beat Portman & Shennan 6-2, 6-2 and beat MacDonald & Henson 6-1, 6-4.
Alcester B have steadily climbed the table in the latter half of the season and this was helped by this hard fought victory away to Ardencote. Sam Thruston-nend & Pete Watson (Alcester B) beat Matt Smith & John Brain (Ardencote) 6-4, 7-6, and beat Ben Summers & Christian Hardy (Ardencote) 7-5, 6-1. Tim Kenneally & Emma Hubbard (Alcester B) lost to Summers & Hardy 3-6, 4-6, but beat Smith & Brain 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 with a tie-break finish.
In the final Premier match Pershore did their survival prospects a power of good with this vital win over Henley. Mike Langston & Matt Sime (Pershore) beat Brett Mackay & Matt Williams (Henley) 7-6, 6-2 and beat Max Retallack & Gionis James 6-1, 6-0. George Southall & Jon Guppy (Pershore) beat Retallack & James 6-0, 6-0 and beat Mackay & Williams 6-1, 6-1.
In Division One, with two weeks of the season still to go, the top two teams claimed their promotion places with victories. Littleton A stayed six points clear on 40 thanks to a 4-0 win over third side Moreton-in-Marsh A (25). Second placed Evesham A (34) also confirmed promotion to the Premier Division after they enjoyed a 4-0 victory over sixth side Studley A (20). Alcester C (21) met Stratford B (22) and the 4-0 result to the Stratford side took them up to fourth place and pushed Alcester C down to fifth. Finally, the bottom two teams Ardencote B (15) and Inkberrow A (15) met and shared the points in a 2-2 draw which leaves both vulnerable to relegation.
Claverdon A (40) were declared champions of Division Two when they beat FISSC (15) 4-0. The next team Shipston A with 31 points are unable to catch the leaders. Nevertheless, Shipston triumphed 4-0 over penultimate side Claverdon B (14) who are now in danger of relegation. Third placed Snitterfield A (30) are still vying for that second promotion spot and only a single point behind Shipston A. Snitterfield A recorded a 4-0 win over bottom team Inkberrow B (10) who barring a miracle look like dropping to Division Three. The last fixture saw a middle of the table clash between Henley B (24) and Chipping Campden B (25) which ended 3-1 to Campden B and meant Campden overtook Henley in fourth position.
Division Three still finds Pershore B and Warwick locked together at the top on 36 points. Warwick only lead the table on a game difference of +62 to Pershore B’s +46. Both enjoyed straight set 4-0 victories, which guarantees both promotion to Division Two next year. Warwick’s win was away to relegated Inkberrow C (11) while Pershore B’s was over third placed Bidford A (27). Fourth placed Redditch B (26) drew 2-2 with mid-table Studley B (25). In the last Division Three match mid-table Snitterfield B (26) were held to a 2-2 draw by bottom placed and relegated Redditch C (3).
Division Four saw Shipston B (35) drop a point although securing a 3-1 win away to third placed Chipping Campden C (27). This allowed second placed Evesham B (32) to close the gap to three points after their 4-0 victory over sixth placed Bidford B. Fourth placed Tysoe were shocked to go down 4-0 to relegation threatened Wildmoor A (23). This meant that Wildmoor jumped up to fourth, pushed Tysoe (21) down to fifth and left them, Bidford (20) and Aston Cantlow (20) battling to avoid going down with Claverdon C. Aston Cantlow at least kept their hopes of avoiding relegation alive when they overwhelmed Claverdon C 4-0. This result confirmed Claverdon C (12) relegation to Division Five next year.
Finally, the Division Five title was claimed by Stratford C (??) after their ?-? victory over Wildmoor B (??). Stratford have opened an unassailable ?? point lead over second placed Moreton-in-Marsh B (27) who in turn defeated third place Warwickshire County Council 3-1. While the second promotion spot is still up for grabs, this gave Moreton a two point lead over the Council side with only two weeks of the season to go. In the final fixture Henley C (18) beat Moreton C (3) 4-0, while penultimate team Inkberrow (7) had no match this week.