IT was a quieter and less successful week for Newton Abbot Tennis Club with only a couple of wins from four matches.

The best result went to the Ladies’ B side who recorded an 8-nil win over visiting Woodbury in Division Five of the Exeter and District League.

Ellie Mathieson and Ali Ainscough opened up with a 6-1, 6-1 win before winning their second rubber 6-3, 6-3. Captain Jane Comyns and Jemma Thornes were in equally dominant mood winning 6-0, 6-0 and 6-3, 6-1. In all, the Newton quartet conceded only 12 games across eight sets in their best win of the season that moves them up to second spot.

The Men’s B team kept their unbeaten tag in Division Eight of the Exeter and District League but had to work hard for a 6-4 win against visiting Sidmouth on Monday evening.

Andrew Strang and Mark Laughton started with a 6-3, 6-3 win before sharing their second rubber 5-7, 6-1 and then losing the tie break. Dave Doxsey and Ellis Shelley were similarly in sharing mode, 7-5, 5-7 and also lost the tie break. They went on to a 6-1 win and a gifted set as a Sidmouth player had to retire with an injury.

It was a busy week for Doxsey and Strang who stepped up into the A team on Wednesday for the visit to Willand in Division Three of the Exeter & District League.

However, they had a losing experience as the home four won 7-2. The two points came from Alex Pettit and Andy Lloyd who drew their second rubber 6-4, 3-6, before winning the tie break. Earlier they had narrowly lost their opener 7-5, 6-4. It was a nil return for Doxsey and Strang who lost 6-0, 6-0 and 6-4, 6-1.

Newton Ladies’ A had a very competitive evening at Lympstone where the home side franked the form with a 6-4 win. When the two clubs met previously at The Rec the visitors won a very tight contest 6-5.

Nell Clotworthy and Kate Hooper had a topsy-turvy opener, sharing the sets 2-6, 6-2 but losing the tie break, they then picked up two more points with a 1-6, 3-6 win in their second rubber.

Barbara Robillard and Susie Gunning earned the other point when picking up a set in their first rubber via a 7-5, 3-6 scoreline, but couldn’t get anything out of a tight second match which they lost 6-3, 6-4.

As a consequence of this result, Lympstone have moved to the top of Division Two for the first time, displacing Newton who are only one point behind with a game in hand.