THE FINAL week of the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League tied up loose ends, including recently crowned Premier Division champions Stratford celebrating their 13th successive title win with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Henley-in-Arden.
Alcester confirmed their runners-up medals with a 4-0 win over bottom and relegated side Studley B. Three points adrift in third were Ardencote Manor who finished with a 4-0 flourish by beating Studley A, who dropped to fifth with this result.
Finally in the Premier Division, Evesham finished in fourth place with the same points as Ardencote but an inferior sets difference. However, they defeated Littleton 4-0 to end their season on a high.
Stratford top pair Callum Bailey and Simon West dropped only one point in beating both Henley pairs, firstly Marcus Tate and Brett Mackay 6-0, 6-0 and then Max Retallack and Sam Turner 6-0, 6-1.
Stratford’s skipper Tim Page and Will Morley-Cotterell beat Retallack and Turner 6-0, 6-3 and Tate and Mackay 6-1, 6-2. Stratford finished seven points clear with a total of 44.
Alcester travelled to Studley and came away with maximum points. Alex Woodbridge and captain Tim Kenneally had to fight hard in the first rubber before emerging victors over James Fitton and Ollie Smith (Studley B) 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-2) following a championship tie-break. They then went on to beat David Douglas and Joe Yapp 6-0, 6-1.
Stuart Beach and Gareth Price beat Douglas and Yapp 6-3, 6-0 Fitton and Smith 6-2, 6-4.
Ardencote Manor remained third after their beat Studley A 4-0 in straight sets. Christian Hardy and Mark Cook beat Mark Willmore and Damian Hampton 6-2, 7-5 and Paul Farmer and Vince Morrissey 6-2, 6-3.
Ben Summers and John Brain defeated Farmer and Morrissey 6-2, 6-2 and Willmore and Hampton 6-2, 6-3.
Evesham, following their misfortune with illness the previous week, were back to winning ways when they overcame Littleton 4-0. Andy Crowther and John Clarke beat Chris Elliott and Ian Smith 6-0, 6-1 and Jack Philpott and Simon Blewitt 6-0, 6-2.
Simon Wall and Jack Crossier defeated Philpott and Blewitt 6-0, 6-1 and Elliott and Smith 7-5, 6-1.
In Division One, champions Moreton-in-Marsh totalled 36 points from their season after a 2-2 draw away to relegated Inkberrow. Claverdon claimed the runners-up spot along with promotion alongside Moreton – four points behind – when they drew 2-2 away to bottom team Aston Cantlow, who are relegated to Division Two.
Yet another 2-2 draw at Pershore between the third placed home side and fourth placed Whitnash left Pershore four points adrift of promotion with 28 points.
Snitterfield, who had completed their season, finished fifth with 22 points.
HDA Redditch A, having already confirmed the Division Two title and promotion, relaxed into a 2-2 draw at home to fourth placed FISSC. Ardencote Manor B took the runners-up spot and promotion, trailing HDA by four points on 42 after they beat mid-table Chipping Campden A 4-0 in their final fixture.
Alcester B took the third promotion spot with 41 points, 17 ahead of fourth placed FISSC, following their 4-0 win over bottom side Shipston A, who are relegated.
Stratford B avoided relegation by drawing 2-2 with Inkberrow B – a result which saw the latter go down to Division Three.
In Division Three, Snitterfield B were already confirmed promoted as champions and they celebrated with a 4-0 victory over relegated Chipping Campden B.
Claverdon B were comfortable runners-up and look forward to going up a division on 38 points, four shy of Snitterfield’s total. They were held to a 2-2 home draw against fourth placed Henley B (29).
This last result was a relief for Studley C, already on 30 points as, despite losing away to Ilmington 4-0, they claimed the third promotion spot by a solitary point over unlucky Henley B.
In the final Division Three match mid-table Alcester C beat bottom and relegated side Wildmoor Spa A.
Division Four had already seen the top three teams – HDA Redditch B, Inkberrow C and Claverdon C – confirm their promotion to Division Three next season.
HDA Redditch B (44) went one better and claimed the title in this final week with an impressive 4-0 victory over fellow promoted side Claverdon C (36). This result allowed Inkberrow C, despite missing out on the title, to be crowned runners-up with 40 points following a 3-1 win over mid-table Littleton B.
Moreton-in-Marsh C moved clear of the relegation zone with a 3-1 win over bottom side Chipping Campden C. The latter, together with Bidford-on-Avon A, are relegated after Bidford were defeated 3-1 by mid-table Pershore B.
Division Five saw Redditch club HDA claim their third divisional title when their C team became champions by beating Evesham B 4-0. In doing so they held off a great challenge all season from new club to the league, Warwick.
Bidford B gave them a good game before Warwick emerged victors 3-1 for the runners-up spot, only two points behind HDA’s total of 48 points.
The final promotion place went to Moreton-in-Marsh C with 30 points, four clear of Wildmoor Spa B, when Moreton beat Wildmoor 3-1.
In the last league fixture Shipston B moved off the bottom and above Evesham B when they beat Inkberrow D 4-0, with the latter replacing them at the foot of the table.
