Poor finish for club members

The final matches of the season for Stirling Tennis Club’s three mens league teams ended in disappointment.

The first team travelled to Falkirk 2 in a clash of promotion rivals and this ended in a 6-6 draw.

The top pairing of Rob Ainsley and George Machray made the major contribution, winning all four of their sets, with the second pairing of Stuart Law and Chris Speirs adding two more.

A win was essential to top the league and return to Division 1 at the first attempt but now Stirling hopes are outwith their own hands – and Falkirk 2 will overtake them if they avoid defeat in their final game next week.

The situation with the men’s second team in Division 3 is unfortunately quite clear.

A win would have avoided any threat of relegation but the team lost 5-7 at home to promotion-seeking Strathblane.

The top pairing of Paul Barnes and Jamie Scott, and third pairing of Ian Carmichael and Scott McMillan, each won two-sets. The second pairing of Tom Heald and Alan Ward contributed one.

However results elsewhere went against Stirling 2 and after all ten matches they finished in second bottom and are relegated.

The third team travelled to Falkirk 3 requiring a win to secure the second promotion spot.

But it was always going to be difficult against the unbeaten top team and so it proved as Stirling lost 4-8.

All pairings – Graham Banks and Dylan Mannion, Ross Downie and Dominic Gillen and David Bryan and Tom McNeill – contributed towards the 4 sets against Falkirk’s third pair. But the opposition’s top two pairings proved too strong.

Dunblane 3 leapfrogged the Stirling side and claimed the second promotion spot in the table.

The Stirling Ladies team finished off their season with a 6-6 away draw to Linlithgow 3.

While the result does not improve their position in the table, captain Lesley Greenaway was upbeat, and she said:“We’ve all enjoyed our tennis this season despite results.”