Stratford are the kings again - The Redditch Standard

Stratford are the kings again

Redditch Editorial 7th Jul, 2016 Updated: 18th Oct, 2016   0

STRATFORD have clinched their 14th successive Wildmoor Spa Tennis League Premier Division crown with three rounds of matches still remaining.

A 4-0 win over fourth placed Evesham (23 points) saw them amass an insurmountable 40 points.

Ardencote Manor (26) and Alcester (24) are still competing for the runners-up spot after Ardencote comfortably beat equal fifth placed Henley-in-Arden (17) 4-0 while Alcester surprisingly went down 3-1 to the other joint fifth placed team Moreton-in-Marsh (17).

Second bottom Studley kept their hopes of avoiding relegation alive with 16 points – one below the other two teams – by beating bottom club Claverdon (6) 4-0.




Stratford fielded new pairing Chris Marrow with Will Morley-Cotterell and they won both their rubbers in straight sets, beating Simon Wall and Chris Francis (Evesham) 6-3, 6-2 and John Clarke and Julian Heath 6-1, 6-2.

Stratford’s other pair Callum Bailey and Simon West did even better in dropping only one game over the two rubbers as they defeated Clarke and Heath 6-0, 6-0 and Wall and Francis 6-1, 6-0.


In Division One HDA Redditch A (34) are still favourites for the title despite suffering a 3-1 defeat to mid-table Pershore (19).

Snitterfield moved up to equal second place and join Alcester B on 24 points after beating Alcester 3-1, whilst Ardencote B (23) sit just a point behind in third following their 4-0 thrashing of bottom side Studley B (10).

Littleton (19) beat Whitnash (16) 4-0.

Campden on the charge

Chipping Campden A (36) opened up a lead in the Division Two title race as they celebrated an invaluable 3-1 win over title contenders and previous leaders Inkberrow A (33), who dropped to second.

Stratford B (32) lie a further point back in third after recording a 3-1 win over second bottom Studley C (10).

In mid-table fifth placed Snitterfield B (22) and sixth placed FISSC (14) drew 2-2, while fourth placed Claverdon B hammered lowly Aston Cantlow 4-0.

In Division Three Shipston-on-Stour A (32) regained the lead thanks to 4-0 battering of Inkberrow B (12) and Henley B sit three points behind on 29 having been held to a 2-2 draw by fourth placed HDA Redditch B (15).

Alcester C (28) closed up in third with a resounding 4-0 victory over relegation-threatened Inkberrow C (5).

Claverdon C (11), who were due to play Ilmington, had no match due the latter withdrawing from the league and this action meant Ilmington were confirmed as one of the two teams to be relegated from Division Three.

Pershore B are virtually certain of the Division Four title. They lead by 11 with 37 points after a 4-0 whitewash of bottom side Moreton-in-Marsh C (8), dropping only three games in the entire match.

Warwick (29) moved into second place as fellow promotion prospects after they beat sixth placed and relegation-threatened Wildmoor Spa A (14) 3-1.

Chipping Campden B trail three points behind on 26 after being held to a 2-2 draw by the other relegation and sixth placed side Littleton B (14).

Fourth placed Moreton-in-Marsh B (25) defeated fifth placed HDA Redditch C (19) 3-1.

In Division Five Bidford A (36) maintained a commanding lead of eight points by disposing of bottom of the table Chipping Campden C (2) 4-0.

Bidford B (28) are fighting hard for the second promotion spot and enjoyed a good 4-0 win over second bottom HDA Redditch D (12).

Hot on their heels only a point behind with 27 are Evesham B who beat fifth placed Wildmoor Spa B (23) and not far behind them with 25 points are Warwickshire County Council, who are keen to gain promotion in their first season in the league.

However, they were held to a 2-2 draw by sixth placed Shipston-on-Stour B (14).

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