Stratford Winter and Summer League Tennis

Finals Pool

C Shipston

The fourth and final round of Pool Matches for the Prudden Road Sufacing Junior Tennis Cup Competition saw only one of last years teams re-qualify for this years’ Semi-Finals Pool. Current champions Shipston-on-Stour are the only survivors from the winning teams of last years’ Pools. The other three sides who won their 2008 group stage are Henley-in-Arden, Studley and Evesham. All four will go forward to participate in the Finals Pool to be held at Bidford-on-Avon Tennis Club on Monday, 16^th July, 2008 at 6.30pm.

Pool A’s final meeting of 2008 began with both Henley-in-Arden and Tanworth-in-Arden sharing top spot with 16 points apiece and all to play for. Both sides along with Snitterfield had 6-0 walkover results over Claverdon who failed to field a side at the last minute after a late withdrawal from one of their players. Henley began well with their pair Jake Evans & Chris Cardwell enjoying a 6-2 win over Snitterfield. They then clinched their place at the top defeating Tanworth by a surprising 6-0 score line. To really dampen their day Tanworth’s Rory Turnbull & Will Elliott went down to Snitterfield’s Oliver Albrecht & Jonnie Smith 6-2. Their only consolation was that although Snitterfield were second on the night, Tanworth finished second over the season.

In Pool B Studley had a two point lead going into this fixture, but had lost out last month to Inkberrow and had earlier in the season shared the lead with Alcester, so expected a tough night. It began tougher than expected as bottom Redditch side HDA fought hard before going down to Studley’s Tom Allum & Jake Wooley 6-4. Studley then went on to the big one against Inkberrow which was tighter than the final score reflected but with Studley holding on for a 6-3 victory it meant they qualified for the Semi-Finals Pool. They finished the night by beating Alcester’s Oliver Allemann & Chris Avard on a technicality 6-0 as although the Alcester pair won 6-3, Avard declared himself as a year too old for the competition and all their results were declared 6-0 walkovers to their opponents. Inkberrow’s Billy Coughlin & George Crotty restored some pride with a 6-1 defeat of HDA pair Hugo Berry & Matthew Parsons. The other disallowed results involving Alcester victories were 6-3 over Inkberrow and 6-1 over HDA.

Shipston-on-Stour were already assured of their place in the Semi-Finals and started with four point lead which could only be beaten if the Shipston boys failed to turn up. Alas for the other sides they did, although Hugh Allen & James Hudson were made to work hard for it against the Stratford A duo of Eddi Meir & Hamish Watson before claiming a 6-4 victory. They then beat Ilmington 6-0 and had a 6-0 walkover no-shows Chipping Campden. Stratford A were given a tough match by Ilmington’s Nicholas Sharratt & Ned Plackett before both sides had 6-0 walkover results against Campden.

Pool D proved to be the tightest finish of them all. Evesham pair Tim Vaux & Robert Noble went into the Pool Night leading by two points with Stratford B in second spot. However, when Stratford B defeated leaders Evesham 6-4 in the opening match, the Stratford side of Robert Horne & Isaac Mackenzie began to wonder if the impossible was on the cards? With 2 points awarded for a win and 1 for turning out to play, the Stratford boys needed to see an upset from one of the other two teams. Unfortunately for them the Bidford boys Ben Green & Thomas Watson couldn’t provide it as they went down 6-1 to both Evesham and Stratford B and bottom placed Pershore had to pull out giving all the other teams 6-0 walkovers. The final positions saw Evesham top Stratford by a solitary point.

Pool A	P	W	L	GF	GA	PTS

Henley	12	10	2	66	32	22
Tanworth	12	8	4	61	54	20
Snitterfield	12	6	6	62	61	18
Claverdon	12	0	12	23	73	9

*Claverdon in last match failed to field a team & defaulted all pts

Pool B	P	W	L	GF	GA	PTS

Studley	12	11	1	70	29	23
Inkberrow	12	8	4	61	41	20
HDA	12	3	9	37	61	15
Alcester	12	2	10	31	70	11

* Alcester in last match only 1 legal player and default all points

Pool C	P	W	L	GF	GA	PTS

Shipston	12	12	0	72	12	24
Stratford A	12	7	5	50	40	19
Ilmington	12	4	8	35	56	16
Campden	12	1	11	15	67	7

* Campden in 1st match only 1 legal player and default all points ** Campden in Last match failed send a pair & default all points

Pool D	P	W	L	GF	GA	PTS

Evesham	12	9	3	67	37	21
Stratford B	12	8	4	60	44	20
Bidford	12	4	8	44	60	16
Pershore	12	3	9	35	63	12

* Pershore in last match failed to field a team & defaulted all pts

Finals Pool below to be played at 6.30pm on Monday, 14th July, 2008, at Bidford-on-Avon Tennis Club.

Top Two Teams From Finals Pool Play in Full Match Final Sunday August 31st 2008 at Stratford LTC