Champions extend lead at summit (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Champions extend lead at summit

Prudden Road Surfacing Tennis League

THE fifth week of fixtures saw champions Stratford open up a four-point lead at the top of the Premier Division.

Inkberrow were lying in third place three points off the top until their visit to Swan's Nest Lane where they opened up well with a victory as Pete Watson and Alex Woodbridge overcame Graham Marsh and Chris Marrow 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

However, Stratford's captain Tim Page and partner Simon West evened the score as they defeated Tim Price and Graham Rankin 7-5, 6-3.

Page and West then went on to beat Watson and Woodbridge 7-6, 6-2, to edge Stratford in front. Marsh and Marrow confirmed a 3-1 win for Stratford as they easily defeated Price and Rankin 6-0, 6-1.

Fourth-placed Evesham missed an opportunity when they could only field two players against bottom placed Inkberrow B.

With two rubbers awarded to their opponents, Evesham could only draw 2-2 and this they did when Chris Francis &and Simon Wall won both their rubbers beating Mike Baker and Ashley Baldwin 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 and Tim Kenneally and Craig Weedon 6-2, 6-2.

In the only other top flight fixture lowly Moreton-in-Marsh and Stratford B drew 2-2.

Will Hale and Gary Jackson (Moreton) beat Paul Crocombe and Bill Fitford 6-0, 6-2 and Nick Harper and Chris Cotteral 6-4, 6-2.

Brian Lomas and Owain Thomas, meanwhile, lost to Harper and Cotteral 6-2, 6-3 and also to Crocombe and Fitford 6-2, 5-7, 7-5.

Action in Division One saw the top three teams - Chipping Campden, Ardencote and Henley all recording victories.

Campden thrashed FISSC 4-0 while Ardencote easily saw off Tanworth by the same score. Henley just managed to defeat Bidford-on-Avon 3-1.

Alcester extended their lead at the top of Division Two to six points after an emphatic 4-0 win over third- placed Stratford C.

Pershore and Alcester B stay mid-table after they drew 2-2 while bottom of the pile HDA Redditch changed places with Aston Cantlow after a 3-1 result.

Division Three is still tight at the top as Harbury lead Shipston by two points with the latter drawing 2-2 with FISSC B.

Ilmington slipped out of fourth place after being surprisingly beaten by bottom team Campden B 3-1.

Division Four is developing into a two-team race. Inkberrow C head the table with 11 points after an excellent 4-0 result over Claverdon C.

Meanwhile, Bidford B are still challenging two points adrift after a good 3-1 victory over Henley B. Moreton B move from last but one to third after beating mid-table Littleton C 4-0.

Inkberrow D still lead Division Five with nine points after recording a 4-0 win over Alcester C.

Shipston B stayed within a point after they demolished Bidford C 4-0, while HDA B of Redditch move from bottom to third on five points after beating Campden C 3-1.