Tennis

Tennis World Middlesbrough closed the gap on leaders Invicta Sunderland to three points after beating their Wearside rivals at home recently in the vital top of the table clash.

The 3-1 result meant the Teesside club increased its points tally to 21 from five fixtures and remained unbeaten, whilst Invicta with 24, and the one defeat only, have played six. David Lloyd Stockton are a threat still with two to play. following their emphatic win over neighbours Yarm last weekend. They moved to third spot with a total of 19 points.

The midtable encounter between Puma Sunderland and Academy Harrogate was a very close affair. decided by one set in favour of the former. With rubbers tied at two all, Puma took the match by five sets to four. This meant each have 16 points and one to play.

Which of these two sides to finish in the top four in the table and thus make the playoff with the South Division is uncertain. It was thought Academy was safe and Puma out of it. but the Sunderland team gained the valuable win bonus as well as the two rubbers.

A bottom of the table meeting between North Yorkshire and York. ended in another close affair with the former losing on sets and still without a win. The match at David Lloyd was 6-4 to York who chalked up their second victory of the campaign and thus passed Yarm into sixth place by one point. None of these three lowly sides have any chance of a play off spot

Tennis World showed one change in personnel for their home tie with Invicta, Sean Damer. sometime Durham and Cleveland county player but now with Northumberland, replaced the unavailable Andrew Deeley. Captain Nigel Beavers partnered Kevin Rudd whilst Mark Franklin was joined by Damer.

These two were first pair and produced two rubbers, one very easily in the first half of play. but the second in a tense three set contest ending in a tiebreak over Ainsley Kershaw and Nathan Lundy. Invicta had been forced to make changes to their team, with regulars Adam Barraclough, Graeme Foreman, and Guy Galpin missing.

Beavers and Rudd beat their number two opposites comfortably and almost gave Tennis World a clean sweep but Kershaw and Lundy crept home by two tiebreaks in a three setter in the first half of play4-6.

Tennis World 3 Invicta 1: Sean Damer and Mark Franklin beat Ainsley Kershaw and Nathan Landy 6-2 3-6 7-6, Beat Alex Robinson and Gavin Sutcliffe 6-0 6-0.

Nigel Beavers and Kevin Rudd lost to Kershaw and Lundy 6-4 6-7 6-7, beat Robinson and Sutcliffe 6-1 6-3.

The Academy, play off qualifiers every year so far, have struggled for three of four rubbers wins this season. Last weekend was no exception, as Puma emerged unlikely victors by five sets to four. The team had top pair Doug Keen and David Drake - Yorkshire county players - back together. They duly obliged with two wins.

Puma introduced LTA regional officer Chris Dight for a first match. with Durham and Cleveland coach Graeme Clarkson as second pair, winning one in the second half. The interval score of one-all noon became 2-1 down for Academy and although they took the number one's contest it was only in three sets.

Academy 2 (4), Puma 2 (5): David Drake and Doug Keen beat Steven Baker and Graham Fowler 6-2 3-6 7-5, beat Graeme Clarkson and Chris Dight 6-4 6-2; Matthew Parry and Rob Taylor lost to Baker and Fowler 4-6 4-6, lost to Clarkson and Dight 2-6 2-6.

David Lloyd, with a full strength line-up, gave visiting Yarm very little scope and whitewashed their opponents without losing any sets. Ben O'Connor and John Weeks. Both Teessiders, played first couple and dropped five games only. The second pair Matt Whitaker and Alan Smith were made to work hard in two tie-breaks by Yarm's first pair Mike Dixon and lain Spears before also winning two rubbers.

David Lloyd 4, Yarm 0: Ben O'Connor and John Weeks beat Mike Dixon and Iain Spears 6-1 6-1 beat Charles Hingley and Keith van Hoof 6-1 6-0.

North Yorkshire, with players drawn from the Great Ayton and Nunthorpe clubs in the main, thought a win was possible against York in Thornaby but although each of their couples won once, they had been in three sets.

Steven Preston and Kevin Rowley, and Don Lilliston and Michael Hall were the partnerships beating York's second couple, but Andy Cook and Steve Smith were the unbeaten pair in the fixture for York.

North Yorkshire 2 (4), York 2 (6): Steven Preston and Kevin Rowley lost to Andy Cook and Sieve Smith 4-6 2-6, beat Paul Blackett and Paul Goodall 6-4 4-6 6-3; Michael Hall and Don Lilliston lost to Cook and Smith 5-7 1-6, beat Blackctt and Goodall 6-4 5-7 7-6.

This weekend's final fixtures will determine the top four places. Leaders Invicta are the only team certain at present. Tennis World and David Lloyd have two matches each, but one is against each other whilst the Academy play the bottom team.

The final order in the table will decide who plays which from the South Division as for example first in North meets fourth in South. and so on.

Tomorrow: Tennis World v Yarm, Invicta v York, Puma v David Lloyd, Academy v North Yorkshire.

Sunday: David Lloyd v Tennis World.