Stratford turning title race into a procession
STRATFORD are beginning to run away with it at the top of the Wildmoor Spa Summer League table.
The reigning champions made easy work of defeating nearest rivals Ardencote Manor 4-0, to open up a ten-point gap at the summit.
Top pair Callum Bailey and Cameron Malik beat Jack Smith and Ben Summers 6-3, 6-2 and beat Richard Lucas and Christian Hardy 6-1, 6-0.
Chris Marrow and Simon West (Stratford) beat Lucas and Hardy 6-2, 7-6 and beat Smith and Summers 3-6, 7-5, 1-0 after a championship tie-break.
Alcester A beat sister side Alcester B comfortably 3-1.
The A team’s Tom Watson and Stuart Beach beat Gareth Price and Matt Fielding 6-2, 6-0 and beat James Morley-Cotterell and Sam Thruston-Nend 6-2, 6-3.
Alex Woodbridge and Pate Watson beat Morley-Cotterel and Thruston-Nend 6-1, 7-5. However, they lost to Price and Fielding 4-6, 4-6.
Evesham lost out in a close encounter with HDA Redditch.
HDA’s Tomas Cop and Tim Bradley edged out Andrew Crowther and Simon Wall 7-6, 4-6, 1-0 after a marathon tie-break, before beating Julian Heath and Ray Foster-Morison 6-2, 6-2.
Meanwhile, Redditch’s Matt Gill and Lubo Smoliar just squeezed home 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 against Heath and Foster-Morison, before losing to Crowther and Wall 3-6, 2-6.
In the final top flight fixture, Henley travelled to Moreton-in-Marsh to claim a 3-1 victory in a match that went to two championship tie-break finishes.
Things started badly for Henley as their opening pair, Oli Didlick and Brett Mackay lost their first rubber 1-6, 0-6, against James Elliott & Gary Jackson, before rallying to claim their second rubber against Brian Lomas and Chris Elliott 7-6, 3-6, 1-0.
Meanwhile, Henley’s Tom Griffiths and Matt Williams beat Lomas and Elliott 6-3, 6-3 and beat Elliott and Jackson 6-3, 3-6, 1-0.
Division One leaders Chipping Campden moved further clear after another 4-0 win beating Ardencote B.
Second-placed Littleton faced a vital battle against third-placed Studley and the result was critical in keeping both teams challenging for the title.
In the event, it was a 2-2 draw which saw Littleton remain second with 21 points, while Studley A moved up to joint second with Pershore on 20 points each.
Pershore maintained their third place thanks to a 4-0 victory over Claverdon, who are in the bottom two.
Stratford B (15) moved up to fifth after their 3-1 win over bottom placed Snitterfield (4).
The latter team is being left behind and look likely relegation prospects.
Match of the week was in Division Two between the top two teams when leaders Henley B travelled to Inkberrow A.
With only a point between them there was much at stake. Inkberrow completely reversed their earlier defeat to Henley by beating them 3-1 to gain the lead with 24 points.
This result also saw Henley dropped to second on 23 points. This allowed Alcester C a chance to move up to third when they inflicted a 4-0 defeat on bottom side Studley B.
They were joined by FISSC, who had a 4-0 walkover against Shipston, who failed to field a team. Shipston have been fined and had two points deducted as a result.
A lower division clash between Claverdon B and Snitterfield B resulted in a 4-0 win for Claverdon B.
On to Division Three, where the top two teams HDA B of Redditch and Chipping Campden B are still battling for the top place.
HDA kept their slim one point advantage wih a 4-0 result over Aston Cantlow, while Campden also beat Cantlow 4-0 in a rain postponed match from earlier.
Third-placed Inkberrow B faced fifth placed Pershore B and a surprise 3-1 win to Pershore B pulled them up to level with Inkberrow as both now have 17 points each.
Warwick are fifth following their 3-1 win over bottom-placed Claverdon C.
Bidford-on-Avon A continue to dominate Division Four despite being held to a 2-2 draw by sister side Bidford B.
Second-placed Inkberrow C were also held to a 2-2 draw by HDA C Redditch.
Third in the division Evesham B actually lost out in a 3-1 defeat to fifth-placed Wildmoor Spa A, which allowed HDA C to join them in third place.
At the bottom of the table, Moreton-in-Marsh B beat sister side Moreton C, but both still lie bottom.
In Division Five, joint leaders Shipston B kept their lead by beating bottom team HDA D of Redditch.
Second-placed Chipping Campden C (20) had to travel to fourth placed Henley C (17) but only managed a 2-2 draw to remain challengers.
Warwickshire County Council stay third despite drawing 2-2 with Wildmoor Spa B (13).
Tysoe travelled to Inkberrow D and came away with a 2-2 draw.
