Stratford march on at the summit - The Stratford Observer

Stratford march on at the summit

Stratford Editorial 2nd Jun, 2016 Updated: 28th Oct, 2016   0

AFTER six weeks of action the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League Premier Division is beginning to open up and there appears to be no stopping champions Stratford who continue to dominate.

Stratford (21 points) completed a comprehensive 4-0 straight sets triumph over Moreton in Marsh (8), who drop a place with this result into the bottom two.

Alcester (17) similarly disposed of bottom placed Claverdon (5) 3-1 to stay second, four points behind top spot.

Evesham (14) moved equal third following their 4-0 victory over Henley-in-Arden (10), whilst Studley (10) moved into equal fifth with Henley after they defeated joint third placed Ardencote Manor (14) 3-1 at home.




Stratford’s first pair, team captain Tim Page this time partnering Simon West, dropped only three games in the entire match as they beat Brian Lomas and Greg Stotesbury (Moreton) 6-1, 6-1 and then Chris Elliott and Gary Jackson 6-1, 6-0.

Callum Bailey, with new partner Richard Monk, also took maximum points in beating Elliott and Jackson 6-0, 6-3 and then Lomas and Stotesbury 6-2, 6-1.


Alcester lost ground despite a 3-1 win over Claverdon. Tim Kenneally and Tom Watson (Alcester) beat Carsten Astheimer and James Courier 6-2, 7-6 and Andy Ashley and Rob Summers 6-3, 6-2.

Sam Hawker and Tom Edmunds (Alcester) defeated Ashley and Summers 7-6, 6-7, 1-0 in a championship tie-break decider, but lost to Astheimer and Courier 7-5, 3-6, 0-1 in another nail-biter.

Evesham made a bold move up to third place following their 4-0 win over Henley-in-Arden as both the Evesham pairs dropped only four points each in the whole match.

Andrew Crowther and Chris Francis beat Brett Mackay and Craig Mander 6-3, 6-1 and Louis Walsh and Alex Didlick 6-0, 6-0.

Julian Heath and Simon Wall defeated Walsh and Didlick 6-0, 6-2 and Mackay and Mander 6-2, 6-0.

Studley surprised Ardencote Manor with a 3-1 victory in a close match. Damian Hampton and Mark Willmore (Studley) fought hard before going down to Ben Summers and Pete Thomas 6-4, 5-7, 0-1 in a championship tie-break decider. The Studley duo then went on to beat Tom Holland and Phil Silk (Ardencote) 6-2, 6-3.

Martyn Richards and Dave Dougles (Studley) beat Holland and Silk 6-3, 6-3 and just defeated the unlucky Summers and Thomas 7-6, 6-4.

HDA Redditch A still top the Division One table with 20 points after beating mid-table Whitnash (10) 3-1 to open an eight-point advantage.

Snitterfield with 12 points stayed second but dropped back after they were held to a 2-2 draw by mid-table Pershore (9).

Studley B (8) entertained Alcester B (11) and the visitors prevailed 4-0 to move into equal third alongside Ardencote B and Littleton, who both had no match.

In Division Two Stratford B, with 22 points, extended their lead to five points by thrashing mid-table FISSC (9) 4-0.

Chipping Campden A (17) are second after defeating Snitterfield B (10), now fourth, 3-1.

Third placed Inkberrow A (14) consolidated their place with a 4-0 win over Claverdon B (8) and in the battle of the bottom two teams Studley C (8) emerged 4-0 victors to leave Aston Cantlow still pointless.

Once again Division Three saw a change on the leaderboard as Shipston A (20) regained top spot from Henley B (19).

This was because while Shipston managed a 4-0 home win over bottom team Inkberrow C (3), Henley B were held to a surprise 2-2 draw by Ilmington (13) who, thanks to this result, moved up to fourth place.

Alcester C (17) retained third place following their 4-0 victory over HDA Redditch B (6). Inkberrow B (11) retained fifth position by defeating Claverdon C (7) 3-1.

Division Four leaders Pershore B (21) stretched their lead to six points thanks to a valuable 4-0 victory at third placed Moreton-in-Marsh B (13).

Meanwhile, second placed Warwick (15) were beaten 3-1 by Chipping Campden B (13), who moved up to equal third on the back of this result.

HDA Redditch C were also climbers, up two places, to become the third team with 13 points in joint third place, after they thrashed bottom team Wildmoor Spa A (6) 4-0.

Littleton B (8) jumped off the bottom of the table and out of the relegation zone by beating Moreton-in-Marsh C (7) 3-1.

In Division Five Bidford A (20) stay top after another 4-0 win, this time at the expense of sixth placed HDA Redditch D (10).

Trailing by six points in equal second are Evesham B and new side Warwickshire County Council, both on 14 points.

Evesham clocked up a useful 4-0 win at bottom side Chipping Campden C (2), while Warwickshire County Council, after previously picking up points in a rearranged match, went down 3-1 to fifth placed Bidford B (11).

Wildmoor Spa B (13) are lying fourth following their 3-1 victory over Shipston B (8).

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