Barnard castle Tennis Club
THE club’s players have been busy in the past week with the men and mixed teams in action in the Darlington and District league and a mixed away tie in the Cleveland league.
The men’s team hosted Sedgefield and Chilton on a sunny evening.
Stephen Hughes and Scott Patrick were first to take on a confident Sedgefield and Chilton duo as the opening set eventually reached a tie-break which could have gone either way.
However, it went in favour to the opposition and this carried them through the next set 6-0.
Meanwhile Steve Brookes and Steve Saddington took their match 6-3, 6-4 against the opponents’ second pair.
The two Steves struggled in their first set against the opposing first pair losing 6-1, but having got the measure of the opposition the next set was a different story as they found their form to take it 6-4 to share the match.
Stephen and Scott sailed through their second match 6-0, 6-0 giving Barnard Castle the evening’s win 5-3.
The mixed team of Sue Hudson, Fleur Sanderson, Steve Brookes and Steve Sumner welcomed a Wellfield team from High Coniscliffe.
Sue and Steve Sumner were Barney’s first pair and earned a double break of serve to go 3-0 up in the first set.
Wellfield took one break back but Barney served out to win the set 6-4.
During the second set there was a short delay due to rain at 4-4 – and on the resumption Barney went on to take the second set 6-4. Sue and Steve kept the momentum going through their next match against the opposition’s second pair, taking both sets 6-0, 6-0.
Barney’s second pair of Steve Brookes and Fleur had a similar score line in their first match 6-4, 6-3 but against the opposition’s first couple fought valiantly but went down 4-6, 4-6.
This gave Barney a comfortable 6-2 victory.
The mixed team travelled to Hartlepool to take on their nearest competitors at the midpoint of the Cleveland league season.
Barnard Castle got off to a great start as the three pairs won the first round of matches.
Lucas Patrick and Karen Tomlinson were the first pair; second pair were Sam Everett along side Lucy Brenkley while Jonathan Kirk and debutant Fleur Sanderson were the third pair gaining the wins.
A further win a piece for Lucy and Sam and Karen and Lucas gave Barnard Castle a 5-4 victory and a realistic chance of promotion going into the second half of the season.
At the time of writing Barnard Castle mixed lead the third division in the Cleveland League.
