Stratford win again to increase their lead at the summit
STRATFORD increased their lead at the top of the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League with a 3-1 victory over third-placed Ardencote Manor.
Top pair Tim Page and Callum Bailey won in straight sets, beating John Brain and Pete Thomas 6-0, 6-2, and beating Ben Summers and John Turner 6-1, 6-3.
Stratford’s second pairing of Ed Bosley and Richard Monk had a real fight in both rubbers.
They went down to Summers and Turner 1-6, 3-6 and then they were taken to a Championship tie-break by Brain and Thomas before emerging 7-6, 4-6, 1-0 victors.
Alcester lost ground as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Evesham.
It was the Evesham pair Andrew Crowther and Chris Francis who did the damage to Alcester as they beat Stuart Beach and Gareth Price 6-4, 6-7, 1-0 and beat Tim Kenneally and Alex Woodbridge 6-1, 6-4.
The second Evesham duo of Julian Heath and Simon Wall went down 6-7, 2-6 to Kenneally and Woodbridge and lost 2-6, 2-6 to Beach and Price.
Henley moved up to third thanks to a 3-1 win over Claverdon.
Sam Turner and Brett Mackay beat Richard Butler and Carsten Astheimer 6-7, 6-2, 1-0 and beat Andy Ashley and James Courier 6-4, 6-4.
Henley’s Tom Griffiths and Marcus Tate lost to Ashley and Courier 5-7, 3-6, but beat Butler and Astheimer 6-3, 6-7, 1-0.
In the final premier division match, Studley, despite home advantage, could not better Moreton-in-Marsh as they drew 2-2.
Gary Jackson and James Elliott claimed the points for Moreton when they beat Damian Hampton and Mark Willmore 3-6, 6-1, 1-0, and beat Martyn Richards and Paul Farmer 6-1, 6-4.
Moreton’s Brian Lomas and Chris Elliott lost to Richards and Farmer 2-6, 6-7, and lost 4-6, 1-6 to Hampton and Willmore.
HDA Redditch opened up a six-point gap at the top of division one after a straight sets 4-0 win over bottom-placed Alcester B.
Ardencote Manor B share second spot with Littleton after both played two matches in the week.
Ardencote first drew 2-2 with fourth-placed Snitterfield and then drew again 2-2 this time with Littleton. Littleton then managed to beat Pershore 3-1 to move up equal with Ardencote B.
Shock of the week saw Studley B lift off the bottom of the table after beating Whitnash, who slid down three places to fifth as a result.
Division two saw only three fixtures as Inkberrow A and FISSC, who now lay second and fourth, slipped down the table after their match was rained off and postponed.
The leaders remain Stratford B with 18 points, four clear of second-placed Chipping Campden A.
Stratford beat lowly Studley C 4-0, while Campden also beat rock-bottom Aston Cantlow, who are still without a point, by the same 4-0 score.
Snitterfield B moved up to fourth equal thanks to their 4-0 result over sixth placed Claverdon B.
There is a change of leader at the top of division three with Henley-in-Arden B team taking over thanks to a 4-0 victory over bottom side Inkberrow C.
Dropping to second were Shipston-on-Stour A, who were held to a 2-2 draw at home by fourth-placed Ilmington. Alcester C are third following their 4-0 thumping of fifth-placed Inkberrow B at Inkberrow.
Claverdon C and HDA B Redditch battled to a 2-2 draw and honours even.
Division four is still dominated by Pershore B with 17 points after they beat fourth-placed Chipping Campden B 3-1.
Warwick held on to second spot keeping third-placed Moreton B at bay, when they met and shared the honours in a 2-2 draw.
HDA C Redditch moved up a place to fifth following a 4-0 drubbing of sixth equal Moreton-in-Marsh C.
Wildmoor Spa A moved off the bottom of the table to joint sixth thanks to a 4-0 win over Littleton B.
In division five, Bidford-on-Avon A stay top following their 4-0 win over joint second placed Wildmoor Spa B.
Evesham B moved up two places to joint second after they enjoyed an excellent 3-1 victory over joint fifth Warwickshire County Council 3-1.
HDA D Redditch move up to fourth due to their 3-1 win over sixth placed Shipston-on-Stour B.
Bidford B were pushed down to fifth place when their match against Chipping Campden C was postponed by rain.
