Ryde team celebrating a fantastic maiden win

A SUPER show from Ryde Lawn ladies’ seconds team ensured they got their first ever win in the Portsmouth & District League, writes Alan Best.

After 34 matches, spread over three seasons, they recorded their first ever victory.

Their match with Fishbourne seconds didn’t start well, their first pair, Jan Collins and Jessica Mead losing to their opponents second string.

They did however force the rubber into three sets – and that proved to be crucial in the end.

Collins and Mead redeemed themselves when they beat Fishbourne’s first pair and with Gill Hofton and Angie White chipping in the rubbers were shared 2-2.

It was then on countback of sets that the set won by Collins and Mead in their losing rubber became vital.

It gave Ryde five rubbers to Fishbourne’s four and with it the win.

Meanwhile, Warsash took a big step towards retaining their summer title when they edged past Denmead in a close-fought contest.

Warsash’s Ian Udal and Darran Ferre won both their rubbers comfortably but Martin Wilkinson and Luke Mendez were taken to three sets before they overcame James Sillence and James Craven to claim the points.

Canoe Lake’s mixed team needed a clear win in their last match, against Carlton Green, to overtake Ventnor and secure promotion to division two.

But, missing top pair John and Grace Saunders, they were held by Carlton to share the rubbers 2-2.

And with Carlton’s Tina Leighton Smith and Gary Colmer taking a set in their losing rubber to Wendy Evans and Peter Candlish they did just enough to take the winning draw points and deny Lake promotion.

There was another closerun thing for promotion from mixed four.

Southsea shared the rubbers and sets with Active Academy.

But a 6-1, 6-0 rubber win for Emily Last and Matt Dyson was enough to give them enough games to win the points they needed to secure promotion.

The other mixed four match was even closer.

Bottom-of-the-table Alverstoke shared the rubbers and the sets with Warsash thirds, but the latter won 35 games to Alverstoke’s 33, giving them the winning draw points and leaving Alverstoke with the wooden spoon.