Weakened Stratford maintain unbeaten run
HAVING already been crowned champions for the 15th straight season, Stratford were forced to field a below strength side in last week’s game against Alcester A.
A fixture clash, that also saw them playing in the Coventry League, saw them field a weaker side, but with the title already under their belt, they could afford to relax a little and play a few reserves.
In the end, it was honours even in a 2-2 draw that gave Stratford a total of 42 points, while Alcester A marked time behind them with 29 points.
Stratford regular Pieter Uys-Barnard paired up with Andrew Helby, but following an epic struggle went down 6-3, 3-6, 0-1 after a championship tie-break to Alcester A pair Stuart Beach and Marcus Powell.
Uys-Barnard and Helby recovered to beat Tim Kenneally and Emma Hubbard 7-5, 6-0.
Stratford’s Adam Winwood and Sam Righton also beat Kenneally and Hubbard 6-2, 6-1, but lost to Beach and Powell 2-6, 4-6.
Redditch side HDA (24) joined Ardencote in joint third after they enjoyed an excellent 4-0 win over Henley-in-Arden.
Tomas Cop and James Macdonald beat Brett Mackay and Sam Turner 6-2, 7-6, and beat Tom Griffiths & Max Retallack 6-0, 6-3.
HDA’s Terry Iduitua and Lubo Smoliar beat Griffiths and Retallack 6-1, 6-2 and beat Mackay and Turner 6-2, 6-3.
Third-placed Ardencote Manor were unexpectedly held to a 2-2 draw by Alcester B.
Alcester’s Tom Watson and Charlie Watson beat Ben Summers and Pete Thomas 6-0, 6-4 and beat Myles Wilcox-Smith and Christian Hardy 6-3, 6-2.
Pete Watson and Gareth Price (Alcester B) lost to Ardencote’s Wilcox-Smith and Hardy 4-6, 4-6 and also lost to Summers and Thomas 4-6, 3-6.
Bottom side Moreton-in-Marsh claimed a rare win 3-1 over Evesham, which meant the latter now drop into the relegation zone and are looking at the drop to Division One.
Moreton’s James Elliott and Gary Jackson beat Chris Francis and Julian Heath 6-4, 7-5, and beat John Clarke and Simon Wall 7-6, 6-0.
Chris Elliott and Brian Lomas beat Clarke and Wall 5-7, 7-5, 1-0, but lost to Francis and Heathe 6-1, 1-6, 0-1.
In Division One, Chipping Campden are beginning to pull away at the top of the division thanks to a 4-0 victory over the penultimate side Claverdon.
Littleton leap-frogged over two teams to go second on 31 points following their 3-1 win over relegated Snitterfield.
The other two teams vying for promotion, Studley and Pershore, both on 29 points, lost ground.
Studley were the big losers, going down 3-1 in a shock win by Stratford B that saw them pull out of the relegation zone.
Pershore, for their part, were held to a 2-2 draw by mid-table Ardencote Manor.
Division Two saw the top two teams Inkberrow A and Alcester C draw 2-2. This result confirmed Inkberrow A as champions and gained them promotion to Division One next season.
Henley B are still locked with Alcester C for that second promotion spot as they too surprisingly drew 2-2 with bottom and relegation threatened Studley B (12).
These results gave Shipston A (27) the opportunity to also draw level for that second promotion spot, which they did when they beat relegation-threatened Snitterfield B 3-1.
Finally, mid-table teams FISSC and troubled Claverdon B met with the unexpected result that Claverdon B beat FISSC 3-1 and in doing so Claverdon moved out of the two relegation positions.
In Division Three, Chipping Campden B are within touching distance of the title and promotion after a convincing 4-0 win over Pershore B.
Second-placed Inkberrow B remained on 27 points having no match last week. Third-placed Redditch HDA B were shocked to be beaten 4-0 by fourth placed Warwick (24).
Meanwhile, the two relegated teams, Aston Cantlow and Claverdon C, played out a 2-2 draw.
Division Four saw Bidford-on-Avon A seal the title and promotion to Division Three next year with a 3-1 win over nearly relegated Moreton B.
Second-placed Inkberrow C must now concentrate on that second promotion place, but they were disappointed to only manage a 2-2 draw from their visit to Wildmoor Spa.
Third-placed Redditch HDA C, were also held to a 2-2 draw by fourth side Evesham B.
Bidford B stayed level fourth with Evesham after they too were held to a 2-2 draw by bottom and relegated Moreton-in-Marsh C.
Finally, the Division Five race opened up as Shipston B made their bid for the title with an excellent 4-0 win over third-placed Warwickshire County Council.
This gave newcomers Tysoe the chance to take up the second promotion place for now.
This they did with a 3-1 win over fifth-placed Henley C. Chipping Campden C also moved up to joint second with Tysoe by defeating lowly Inkberrow D 3-1.
Wildmoor Spa B moved away from the bottom after they defeated bottom side Redditch HDA D 3-1.
