Reigning champions off to a flying start
CHAMPIONS Stratford-on-Avon surged to the top of the Wildmoor Spa League Premier Division table as the league got underway for its summer season.
Stratford recorded a maximum points 4-0 win against Alcester.
Captain Tim Page and partner Callum Bailey had an easy task taking maximum points as they beat Tom Edmunds and Sam Hawker (Alcester) 6-1, 6-1 and then beat Tim Kenneally and Duncan Robinson (Alcester) 6-0, 6-3.
William Morley-Cotterell and Chris Marrow (Stratford) beat Kenneally and Robinson 6-3, 6-0 and then beat Edmunds & Hawker 6-0, 6-1.
Ardencote Manor and Henley-in-Arden share second place after both recorded 3-1 victories. Ardencote’s was over Evesham and Henley’s over Studley.
Ardencote were held at 1-1 at the halfway stage before coming through for their 3-1 victory.
Top pair Ben Summers and Steve Lockwood defeated Andrew Crowther & Chris Francis (Evesham) 6-2, 6-3 and beat John Clarke and Julian Heath (Evesham) 6-1, 6-4.
Christian Hardy and Pete Thomas (Ardencote) lost their opening rubber to Clarke and Heath 4-6, 6-1, 0-1 on a championship tie-break game, before recovering to beat Crowther and Francis 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 on another tie-break game.
Henley-in-Arden also won 3-1, beating Studley but were 3-0 up before losing the final rubber.
Sam Turner and Brett Mackay overcame Martyn Richards and Damian Hampton (Studley) 6-2, 6-2 and then defeated Mark Willmore & Jack Ritchie (Studley) 6-2, 6-4. Phil Bishop & Tom Griffiths (Henley) beat Willmore & Ritchie 6-3, 6-4, but lost out to Richards & Hampton 3-6, 0-6. Finally, Claverdon and Moreton-in-Marsh are in equal fourth position following their sharing of the points in a 2-2 draw.
Claverdon clawed their way back after a disasterous start to salvage a 2-2 draw.
James Courier and Andy Ashley (Claverdon) lost to Brian Lomas and Greg Stotesbury (Moreton) 6-7, 3-6, but beat Gary Jackson and Chris Elliott (Moreton) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 after a Championship tie-break game.
Richard Butler and Carsten Astheimer (Claverdon) lost to Jackson and Elliott 1-6, 3-6, but beat Lomas and Stotesbury 6-1, 6-2.
In division one, Pershore took the early table lead with a 3-1 win away to Whitnash.
Littleton and Studley B lay joint second after they drew 2-2.
The other two fixtures between Alcester B versus Ardencote Manor B and Snitterfield at home to HDA A Redditch were rained off and are to be played later.
Division two saw two teams top their table with 4-0 victories.
Claverdon B enjoyed an emphatic 4-0 win away from home against Studley C, while Inkberrow A racked up a 4-0 result at home to Aston Cantlow.
Stratford B lie third after their 3-1 win over Snitterfield B.
Chipping Campden A and FISSC of Stratford saw the points shared in a 2-2 draw.
Division three results saw three teams top the table with maximum points results.
They were Ilmington who beat HDA B Redditch 4-0, Inkberrow B who beat sister side Inkberrow C 4-0 and finally, Shipston-on-Stour A who defeated Claverdon C 4-0.
The remaining fixture saw the points shared when Alcester C drew 2-2 with Henley B.
On to division four which had four 3-1 winners who all start at the top.
Newly-promoted Warwick beat HDA C Redditch 3-1, but despite the score it was the closest match in the league as three sets went to Championship tie-break deciders.
Moreton-in-Marsh C pulled off the surprise of the week by beating their senior sister side Moreton B 3-1.
Meanwhile, Pershore B defeated Littleton C 3-1 and Chipping Campden B enjoyed a good 3-1 victory away to Wildmoor Spa A.
In division five, Bidford-on-Avon A went top by thrashing their Bidford B side 4-0.
Evesham claimed second spot after they defeated Shipston-on-Stour B 3-1.
The other two fixtures, Chipping Campden C versus Wildmoor Spa B and HDA D Redditch versus Warwickshire County Council, were rained off and will be played at a later date.
