Thirds just get the edge in battle of Wigginton tennis teams

AN all-Wigginton clash went the way of the formbook as Wigginton thirds toppled their hosts, Wigginton fourths, in division seven of the Tyke Petroleum Men's Tennis League.

The thirds won all the games but for the final rubber to record a resounding 69-39 triumph in which Simon Wigdahl and Ralph Meijer were unstoppable with 25 games.

The two points eased the thirds above the fourths but only on ‘games won'. Rowntree Park took a bold step towards a return to the top-flight by winning their match-in-hand 62-46 against Appleton Roebuck in division two, despite a battling 19 from Paul Kaye and Andy Howat.

That gives Park a four-point margin over third-placed Castlegarth who didn't play. A total of 29 games from Richard Whaley and Andrew Milne eased Boston Spa away from danger as they won comfortably against relegation rivals Copmanthorpe.

Starbeck's home fixture against York 2 was abandoned early on, because of a heavy downpour.

In the only division three match, Sutton-on-Derwent triumphed on Rufforth's tarmac by an even greater margin than the early season fixture on Sutton's grass.

Father and son pair Adrian and Sam Hitchenor provided close support with 25 games for Sutton's stand-in captain Chris Lochman and Dave Nowell on 28, in a 33-75 win.

Picture: Wigginton thirds, back row, from left: Phil Anderson, Neil Storey, Ralph Meijer, Simon Wigdahl, Les Almond, Mark Guilford; fourths, front: Phil Wheatley, Steve Winspear, Joe Pirozek, Sam Hardy-Mayo and Will Peck