Lee show their skills

They started with a trip to the Isle of Wight where they shared the rubbers 2-2 with Ryde Mead.

Mark Wallis and Chris Cunningham won both their rubbers for Lee and the set won by second pair James Wallis and Martin Doyle was enough to give Lee the points on a five sets to four margin.

Martin James replaced James Wallis for the second match, against Avenue first team, and this time Lee won by a comfortable three rubbers to one.

Lee men’s second team and third team were also on duty, but with rather less success than the first team.

The second team also travelled across the Solent to take on Ryde Lawn seconds but returned empty handed.

Ryde won all four rubbers without response.

Meanwhile the third team hosted Ventnor but they again failed to win a rubber as the visitors romped home by four rubbers to 0.

The inter-club derby between Avenue thirds and Avenue four in division three was another one-sided affair.

The senior team crushing the junior one for the loss of just seven games.

The closest men’s match of the week came in division four, where Warsash thirds just edged past Ryde Mead seconds by three games, winning 41 games to 38.

Gavin Lane and Michael Isaacs won both their rubbers for Warsash.

Second pair Mike Betteridge and Terry Coulthard couldn’t match these results.

But they did manage to run Ryde’s first pair to 7-5 in the first set and, crucially, the second pair to 7-6 in the second set, securing just enough games to enable Warsash to clinch the match.

Most of the ladies’ teams had the bank holiday weekend off, the only match played being one in which Ryde Lawn seconds beat Lee fourth team 4-0.

Matches between Ryde Lawn and Warsash’s mixed first teams are traditionally close and hard fought.

But also played in the best of spirits and this contest was no different.

Warsash were unable to field one of their strongest pairs and as a result the Ryde pairing of Sarah Hill and James Seaton proved to be too strong for both the Warsash pairs.

Ian and PG Udal did salvage some pride with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Ryde’s second pair, Carrie Bateman and David Fothergill.

But that was not enough to stop Ryde winning the match by 3-1.

Both Rowlands Castle’s mixed teams were in action on the same day, which, combined with a number of absences due to the bank holiday weekend, stretched their resources to the extent they lost both matches 3-1.

The first team went down to Avenue fourth team, while the seconds lost to newcomers Fishbourne.

Fishbourne’s midweek masters team were also in action.

But without the same success as their weekend colleagues.

They went down 4-0 to the combined Carlton, Sarisbury Green team – Carlton Green.

– ALAN BEST