Tennis
Relegation matters are decided

THE FINAL week of the South Warwickshire Summer Tennis League season saw relegation issues decided as Stratford B looked to escape relegation alongside Pershore from the Premier Division.

Stratford A had already been declared champions, but Stratford B trailed both Henley and Evesham by just two points and any one of the three were in danger of the drop.

A revitalised Evesham were expected to prove a difficult nut to crack but after a very close match Stratford B managed to clinch a 3-1 victory and avoid relegation.

Evesham also escaped the drop to Division One, finishing on equal points with Stratford B, with Henley a point behind and staying there after they predictably went down 4-0 to Stratford A.

In the only other fixture joint third placed teams Claverdon and Alcester, both on 24 points, met and the 2-2 result meant that, although both finished equal on 26 points, Alcester claimed third thanks to better head to head scores between the two teams.

Claverdon therefore had to settle for fourth place. Runners-up Shipston had already completed their fixtures.

Division One champions are Littleton who drew 2-2 in their last match with Inkberrow to give them a total of 31 points.

Chipping Campden left it to the last week to pip Bidford to the other promotion place by three points as they first beat Whitnash 3-0, with one rubber uncompleted and declared void, and then drew 2-2 with fourth placed Ardencote Manor.

Bidford-on-Avon finished third having already completed their fixtures, while Ardencote came fourth.

With Inkberrow only managing a draw with champions Littleton, the door was ajar for Studley and they grasped it with both hands and squeezed through it to edge out of the relegation zone by a single point with an invaluable last match 4-0 win over Whitnash.

This result relegated Inkberrow to Division Two alongside Whitnash.

Alcester B had already been crowned Division Two champions on 32 points having completed their fixtures.

Aston Cantlow completed their last two matches, drawing 2-2 with Snitterfield in a rearranged match but then losing 4-0 to Claverdon and so finished runners-up with 28 points. However, they can still celebrate promotion alongside the champions.

That win by Claverdon gave them valuable points and took them to a total of 25, one above relegation-threatened Ullenhall.

The latter lost their match 3-1 to Snitterfield and, although level with Claverdon with that point on 25, they were ten sets to eight worse off in their head to head encounters this year and so Ullenhall were very unlucky to be relegated with Littleton B, who only registered five points all season.

Stratford C enjoyed a 4-0 victory over Littleton B which confirmed their finish in third place, once again on the same 26 points as Snitterfield but with better head to head results.

Thus ended the most competitive season ever and the closest for many a year in Division Two.

The Division Three title had been claimed two weeks ago by Studley B, but they celebrated in their last match by beating Chipping Campden B 3-1 to finish on 42 points, 12 clear of the second team.

Despite this defeat Campden B's one point meant they clung on to the second promotion spot over Shipston B.

Both had finished the season with 30 points but Campden had better head to head results over an unlucky Shipston B who had completed all their fixtures.

Stratford team FISSC played their last two fixtures with a rearranged match against Ilmington which they drew 2-2 and a 3-1 victory over relegated Henley B who will join Littleton B in Division Four next year.

In Division Four Inkberrow B, having clinched the title, notched up 45 points thanks to a celebratory 3-1 win over Pershore B.

Moreton also celebrated promotion to Division Three alongside Inkberrow with a convincing 4-0 victory over fourth placed Snitterfield B and accumulated 39 points, seven clear of the rest.

Redditch side HDA A finished third despite drawing 2-2 with relegated Inkberrow C, while Snitterfield B confirmed fourth place by overwhelming Pershore B 4-0.

With Alcester C finishing fifth with their 4-0 beating of Chipping Campden C, this saw the latter drop to Division Five at the bottom of the table.

Division Five champions Ardencote B celebrated with another 4-0 clean sweep over bottom side Wildmoor B and totalled 53 points, a record 14 above their nearest rivals.

Claverdon C took a deserved promotion by finishing second with 39 points after beating Studley C 4-0 in their last game and it was enough to secure their place in Division Four next year.

HDA B of Redditch came third after two results, firstly losing 3-1 to Studley C in a previously rained off match and then by beating Bidford B 3-1 in their final game.

One last result near the bottom saw Moreton B end the season just above the last but one side Bidford B as they drew 2-2 with mid-table Henley C.

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