Ardencote Manor lose ground on leaders
ARDENCOTE Manor lost ground on Stratford at the top of the Men’s Wildmoor Spa Summer Tennis League following a surprise 2-2 draw with Alcester B.
Pete Thomas and Phil Silk lost to Gareth Price and Jack Herdsman (Alcester B) 4-6, 2-6, and lost to Matt Fielding and Barney Williams 3-6, 1-6.
In contrast, Ardencote’s other pair of Ben Summers and John Brain beat Fielding and Williams 6-4, 7-5, and beat Price and Herdsman 6-4, 3-6, 1-0.
Leaders Stratford dropped only their second point of the season in their 3-1 win over Alcester A, who drop to fourth.
Stratford pair Callum Bailey and Pieter Uys-Barnard struggled before squeezing out Alcester’s Stuart Beach and Marcus Powell after a championship tie-break 2-6, 6-3, 1-0.
However, they found things easier when they beat Alex Woodbridge and Tim Kenneally (Alcester) 6-2, 6-3.
The returning Stratford captain Tim Page with partner Chris Marrow beat Woodbridge and Kenneally 6-4, 6-4, but lost to Beach and Powell 2-6, 5-7.
Henley A went clear in third following their 3-1 victory over joint fourth-placed HDA Redditch.
Henley enjoyed an important victory despite a bad start. Sam Turner and Max Retallack (Henley) lost to Terry Iduitua & Lubo Smoliar (HDA) 3-6, 6-3, 0-1, but beat Harvey Ravenscroft and Stewart Roney (HDA) 6-0, 6-2. Tom Griffiths and Matt Williams (Henley) beat Ravenscroft and Roney 6-0, 6-0, and beat Iduitua and Smoliar 6-2, 6-1.
Sixth-placed Evesham secured a 3-1 win over bottom-placed Moreton-in-Marsh.
Andrew Crowther and Chris Francis (Evesham) overcame James Elliott and Gary Jackson (Moreton) 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 and beat Chris Elliott and Brian Lomas (Moreton) 6-1, 6-2.
Julian Heath and John Clarke (Evesham) beat Elliott and Lomas 6-3, 6-2, but lost to Elliott and Jackson 4-6, 2-6.
Division One leaders are still Chipping Campden on 15 points, but their advantage was cut after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Claverdon.
Studley jumped up to second spot thanks to their 4-0 win over Stratford B. Meanwhile, Littleton overtook Pershore to go third, after Littleton soundly beat bottom club Snitterfield by a convincing 4-0 scoreline. Pershore for their part were held to a 2-2 draw by Ardencote B.
In Division Two, leaders Henley B retained their lead with 17 points after a 4-0 drubbing of bottom side Studley B.
Inkberrow A stayed in second place two points behind after they beat Alcester C (9) 4-0.
Shipston A moved up to third after a 3-1 win over sixth-placed Snitterfield B.
Fourth-placed FISSC lost ground after a 2-2 draw with Claverdon B.
In Division Three, HDA B go clear at the top after a 3-1 win over rivals Warwick.
Chipping Campden Bclosed up to within a point of Warwick, to lie third in the table, thanks to a 3-1 win over Pershore B.
Aston Cantlow 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.
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 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 drew 2-2 with Evesham B to stay fourth and fifth equal. Bidford B moved up to equal fifth when they claimed their second win on the trot by beating Moreton-in-Marsh C 3-1.
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 and Campden’s 4-0 at home to Inkberrow D.
Wildmoor Spa B moved up to third in the table after they brushed aside HDA D of Redditch 4-0.
Tysoe dropped to joint fourth with Warwickshire County Council after being held to a 2-2 draw by Henley C.
