TENNIS: Buoyant Bicester brush aside Abingdon

6:06pm Thursday 31st July 2008

Bicester A triumphed 4-0 against Abingdon in the battle of two unbeaten teams in Mixed Division 1 of the Wilson OLTA 2-Pair League.

The emphatic win saw Bicester move two points clear at the top.

Robert Pink and Becki Garrett saw off Ole Andersen and Pip Terry 6-2, 6-3, but were then taken to a tie-break by Chris Coles and Dawn Torgerson before emerging 6-2, 7-6 (7-1) winners.

Craig Naylor and Kim Buffham also proved too strong for their Abingdon opponents.

Colston, the only other unbeaten team in the division, lost that record with a 3-1 defeat at home to bottom club Cholsey.

Pat Clayphan and Heather Harrison were unbeaten for the visitors.

Ian Wilson and Dawn Fairchild played their part in helping Wantage A to a 3-1 win at Oxford Sports.

Paul Homersham and Shirley Brasher won their four sets comfortably, and Wilson and Fairchild ground out a 3-6, 6-3, 2-6 victory over Tony Habgood and Alison Clayton to seal the points for Wantage.

Goring A boosted their promotion hopes with a 4-0 win over Kings Sutton in Division 2.

North Oxford A moved a point clear of Woodstock at the top of Mixed Division 1 in the 3-Pair League with a 4.5-4.5 draw at Banbury A, but probably feel it was a point dropped.

Top pair Chris Rogers and Louise Purton won their opening rubber, but then retired at 6-0, 1-0 down against Marc Gilkes and Charlotte Smith, and had to scratch their final match.

And with Gilkes and Smith clinching a 6-4, 6-2 win over their second-pair counterparts, Mark Wilkinson and Cat Murray, Banbury came from behind to snatch a draw.

WILSON OLTA LEAGUE 2-PAIR Ladies Div 3: Woodstock 2, Thame 2.

Mixed Div 1: Colston 1, Cholsey 3; Oxford Sports 1,Wantage A 3; Bicester 4, Abingdon 0; Wantage B 2, Banbury West End 1. Div 2: Esporta 4, Benson A 0; Goring 4, Kings Sutton 0; Blewbury 4, Benson B 0; Norham Gardens 3, Watlington 1. Div 3: Oxford Sports B 2, Abingdon B 2; Southfield 3, Cholsey B . Div 4: Brackley 4, Wantage C 0; Portcullis 3, Banbury B 1; Mapledurham B 4, Oxford City 0 (C); Banbury A 3, Thame 1. Div 5: Henley 1.5, Norham Gardens B 2.5; Wychwood 2, Abingdon D 2; Kings Sutton B 2.5, Abingdon C 1.5; Bicester C 3.5, North Oxford 0.5. Div 6: Witney 4, Phyllis Court 0; David Lloyd Leisure 2.5, Kingston Bagpuize 1.5; Southfield B 1.5, Portcullis B 2.5.

Men's Div 5: Abingdon B 4, Faringdon B 0.

3-PAIR Mixed Div 1: Banbury A 4.5, North Oxford B 4.5.

Oxford City, winners of the Oxfordshire division of the National Club League, have been drawn against Maidenhead in the national play-offs first round on Sunday, August 10.

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