Stratford stretch lead at top to five points
AT the halfway point in the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League season, champions Stratford top the table by five points.
They recorded another win as they thrashed Studley 4-0 to take their points tally to 25.
Evesham, on 20 points, moved up to second, replacing Alcester with a 5-0 win over bottom side Claverdon.
Alcester were held to a 2-2 draw by fifth-placed Henley-in-Arden, while in an extra match Ardencote held Evesham to a 2-2 draw.
Stratford’s first pair on the day, Callum Bailey and Chris Marrow, dropped only two games in the entire match. They beat Martyn Richards and Mark Willmore (Studley) 6-0, 6-0, and beat David Douglas and Damian Hampton (Studley) 6-1, 6-1.
Stratford captain Tim Page and Simon West also dropped only four games in the match as they beat Douglas and Hampton 6-0, 6-1, and then saw off Richards and Willmore 6-1, 6-2.
Evesham had two games last week, winning one and drawing one.
The first match was a draw against Ardencote Manor. Once again, the top Evesham duo Andrew Crowther and Chris Francis won both rubbers beating Ben Summers and Myles Wilcox-Smith (Ardencote) 6-3, 7-6, and then beat Steve Lockwood and Pete Thomas (Ardencote) 6-3, 6-3.
John Clarke and Simon Wall (Evesham) however, went down in both their rubbers, losing to Lockwood and Thomas 2-6, 3-6, and losing to Summers and Wilcox-Smith 1-6, 0-6.
The second match was a 4-0 straight sets win over bottom team Claverdon.
Chris Francis and Ray Foster-Morison (Evesham) beat Andy Ashley and Carsten Astheimer (Claverdon) 7-6, 7-5, and as Claverdon were only able to field one pair had a 6-0, 6-0 walkover for the second rubber.
John Clarke and Julian Heath (Evesham) beat Ashley and Astheimer 6-4, 6-1 and also had a 6-0, 6-0 walkover for their second rubber. Claverdon were also docked one league point for failing to field both pairs.
Alcester came up against immovable objects in Henley-in-Arden pair Brett Mackay and Sam Turner when the latter took both their rubbers, defeating Stuart Beach and Gareth Price (Alcester) 7-5, 6-4 before beating Tim Kenneally and Alex Woodbridge (Alcester) 6-3, 6-4.
The other Henley pair Tom Griffiths and Tate Marcus went down 4-6, 4-6 to Kenneally and Woodbridge and lost 4-6, 1-6 to Beach and Price.
Division one leaders HDA Redditch extended their lead to ten points thanks to a 4-0 victory over bottom side Studley B.
Their nearest rivals Alcester B entertained Whitnash and the 2-2 result meant that Alcester B moved up to second in the table, while Whitnash crucially moved out of the relegation positions.
Third-placed Snitterfield on 14 points were held to a 2-2 draw by fifth-placed Littleton.
Ardencote B were also held to a 2-2 draw by penultimate team Pershore in the final division one fixture.
In division two, Stratford-on-Avon B, with 23 points, had their lead cut to just two points following a shock 3-1 defeat to Inkberrow, who with this success moved up to joint second place alongside Chipping Campden A.
Campden beat mid-table Studley C at Studley 4-0. Fourth-placed Snitterfield B were shocked when bottom side Aston Cantlow scored their first points of the season when they held Snitterfield to a 2-2 draw.
Finally, Claverdon B moved up to fifth after they overcame relegation threatened FISSC 3-1.
Division three saw Shipston A stay at the top despite being held to a 2-2 draw by second placed Henley B.
Alcester C moved to within a point of Henley B when they beat relegation-zoned Claverdon C 3-1.
Ilmington remain fourth and gained ground after they were 4-0 victors over bottom of the table Inkberrow C.
HDA B Redditch gained valuable points in their 3-1 win over mid-table Inkberrow B.
Division four leaders Pershore B once again stretched their lead to eight points thanks to an excellent 3-1 win over second-placed Warwick.
Moreton-in-Marsh B missed the chance to overtake Warwick and instead slipped down to fifth place after they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Chipping Campden B who, following this result, moved up to join Warwick in second.
Fourth-placed HDA C Redditch with 15 points drew 2-2 with Littleton B.
At the foot of the table, Wildmoor Spa B helped their relegation battle with a 4-0 win over relegation contenders Moreton-in-Marsh C, who go bottom.
In division five, Bidford-on-Avon A stay top with another 4-0 win this time at the expense of Shipston B.
Bidford B moved up to second spot with the two points they earned in a 2-2 draw with fourth-placed Evesham B.
Warwickshire County Council joined Bidford B in second after they inflicted a 3-1 defeat on bottom of the league Chipping Campden C.
Wildmoor Spa B slipped down to fourth despite a 3-1 victory over HDA C Redditch.
