Hamilton Tennis Club: Third team edge to mid-table safety

The ladies’ third team gained a narrow 5-4 win over Loughborough Seconds with two sets each from Margaret Heggs and Margaret Shufflebotham, and Sue Corfield with Rosie Gildove.

A vital fifth set in the last round from Cindy Coulter and Lesley Greaves sealed a win which should keep them in a comfortable mid-table position in Group 3A.

Scores: Margaret Heggs/Margaret Shufflebotham W 9-4, L 5-9, W 9-4; Sue Corfield/Rosie Gildove W 9-5, L 5-9, W 9-6; Cindy Coulter/Lesley Greaves L 3-9, 6-9, W 9-3.

* The ladies’ first team completed their fixtures with a resounding 8-1 win over Wigston to take third place in Group One.

Georgie Ashmore and Sibella Chew were unlucky not to complete the whitewash when they lost one set on a tie-break.

Scores: Di Burdett/Charlie Griffin W 9-3, 9-3, 9-4; Georgie Ashmore/Sibella Chew L 8-9, W 9-2, 9-3; Corinne Blythe/Jess Gadsby W 9-5, 9-3, 9-6.

* The men’s third team edged past Roundhill Seconds 5-4.

Out of the four tie-break sets, Hamilton won three to clinch victory. With one match outstanding, the team sit in a comfortable mid-table position in Group 4A.

Scores: Andy Stevens/Doug Hacking W 9-1, L 8-9, W 9-2; Tom Dryell/Steve Thompson L 3-9, W 9-8, L 6-9; Graham Hall/Nigel Crymble L 6-9, W 9-8, 9-8.

* The ladies’ second team won 6-3 against Market Harborough Firsts, but with one match still to be played remain in danger of relegation from Group Two.

Each pair won two sets, but despite close games, all were unable to beat Harborough’s first pair.

Scores: Beth Lowe/Jenny Golland L 7-9, W 9-6, 9-5; Carol Gilchrist/Nicky Kennedy Maggs L 8-9, W 9-2, 9-0; Laura McMullen/Jo Heggs L 7-9, W 9-6, 9-5.

* Success in the veterans matches has been very hard to come by.

The men’s veterans first team of Joe Cunningham, Selwyn Carter, Nigel Crymble and David Gildove lost 8-0 to Ashby Castle, while the ladies’ veterans third team of Christine Stanley, Hazel Crymble, Trish Barber and Davina Adams were beaten 7-1 by Birstall Watermead Firsts.

Christine and Hazel won the lone set.

* The men’s veterans second team of Graham Hall, Selwyn Carter, Edwin Shufflebotham and Nigel Crymble lost 5-3 to Stoney Stanton with two sets from Nigel and Edwin and one from Graham and Selwyn.

The sole victory was gained by the ladies’ veterans second team who won 7-1 in the rain against Enderby.

Rosie Gildove and Polly Dolby won all four sets and Eileen Merrison and Jill Woods took three.

* At the other end of the age scale, the under 8s B team of Hannah Richardson, Lucy Upton, Thomas Townsend and Oliver Spencer thrashed Birstall Watermead B 15-1 with four wins from Hannah, Lucy and Oliver, and three from Thomas.