STRATFORD moved on to 28 points as they reasserted their dominance in the Wildmoor Tennis League Premier Division with an emphatic 4-0 win at Alcester.
This defeat dropped Alcester A to third with 20 points. Nearest challengers Chipping Campden (23) had a 4-0 walkover Redditch who failed to field a team and were fined.
Fourth-placed Ardencote Manor surprisingly went down 3-1 to second from bottom Pershore, whilst Henley moved up to join Ardencote on 18 points after a 2-2 draw with Alcester B (17).
It was a comfortable victory for Stratford’s Callum Bailey and Cameron Malik as they overcame Alcester A’s Stuart Beach and Charlie Weston 7-5, 6-2 and then Pete Watson and Barney Williams 6-4, 6-4.
Pieter Uys-Barnard and Max Hurtubise (Stratford) defeated Watson and Williams 6-3, 6-4 and then squeezed out Beach and Weston 6-3, 6-7, 1-0 on a tie-break.
Chipping Campden were disappointed not to have a game after Redditch were unable to field a team. As a result Redditch lost the match 4-0 and were docked two points.
After losing their first six matches of the season, Pershore have now won three on the trot, the last of which saw them reverse their earlier result against Ardencote Manor to record a 3-1 win.
Mike Langston and George Southall (Pershore) beat Ben Summers and Pete Thomas 6-2, 6-2 and then had a walkover as Ardencote could only field one pair.
As a consequence of this, Ardencote were docked a point. Pershore’s Jon Guppy and Ollie Dando also had a walkover but then lost to Summers and Thomas 6-7, 4-6.
Littleton A are now five points clear at the top of Division One with 30 points following a 4-0 drubbing of fourth-placed Alcester C (16).
Although Evesham A enjoyed a good 3-1 win at Ardencote B (12), two of the rubbers went to tie-breaks. However, the result lifted Evesham into second spot with 25 points.
Third-placed Moreton-in-Marsh A (19) had a more straightforward 3-1 victory at home to Stratford B (15) and bottom side Inkberrow A (12) had an unlikely 3-1 win over mid-table Studley A (15), but only after seeing no less than three of the four rubbers go to a championship tie-break.
Division Two leaders Claverdon A now enjoy a seven-point advantage with 29 points after they comfortably defeated fourth-placed Snitterfield A (20) by a 4-0 scoreline.
The closest match was between second-placed Shipston A (22) and Chipping Campden B (20) and Shipston eventually emerged 3-1 victors.
Henley B now join Snitterfield A and Campden B in joint equal 20 points apiece after they celebrated a 3-1 win over Claverdon B (11). At the lower end of the table, FISSC (12) beat Inkberrow B (9) 3-1.
Pershore B and Warwick, each with 26 points, stay joint leaders in Division Three, despite both being held to a 2-2 draws by Redditch B (20) and Snitterfield B (18) respectively.
Third-placed Bidford A (21) drew 2-2 with fifth-placed Studley B (19) and in the match between the bottom two teams Inkberrow C (14) beat Redditch C, who have yet to score a point, 4-0.
Division Four is led by Shipston B with 26 points after they secured a close 3-1 victory over mid-table Bidford B (17).
Joint second with 22 points are Chipping Campden C and Evesham B after they drew 2-2. Fourth-placed Wildmoor A (18) lost 4-0 to then bottom Claverdon C (12) and this win lifted the latter off the foot of the table. Mid-table Tysoe Beat new bottom side Aston Cantlow 3-1.
Division Five leaders Stratford C (27) marched on with another 4-0 victory, this time over Henley C (11). Second-placed Wildmoor B (21) also enjoyed a 4-0 win over bottom side Moreton C (1) and third-placed Moreton-in-Marsh B (20) beat second from bottom Inkberrow D (7) 3-1.