Oswestry Tennis Club’s Men’s first team sealed promotion to Division 2 next season when they had a four nil win over local rivals Criftins in their final fixture of the season.

With their regular squad of captain Martin Shortt and Oliver Tombs as first pair and Matt Grice and Gary Edwards as second pair they won all four rubbers in straight sets.

Shortt and Tombs winning 6-2, 6-0 and 6-1, 6-1 and Grice and Edwards winning 6-3, 7-5 and 6-3, 6-1.

They are currently sitting at the top of the division eight points clear of their nearest rivals Ludlow Castle who have two games yet to play but they would need two maximum point victories to draw level with the Oswestry men. The team went all season unbeaten and as this is the first year of captaincy for Shortt, who has only been a club member for a year.

The Ladies first team finally managed to play their rearranged fixture away at Cound Tennis Club.

Rebecca Hollywell was called up from the second team to fill a place partnering Fiona Russell as second pair with captain Jo Macrae and Kat Oakley playing first pair.

With the environment like the world cup with a continued array of midges, the ladies continued their path in the Premier league. Macrae and Oakley had a close battle with the Cound first pair losing their rubber while debutant Hollywell gelled well with Russell taking a well earned championship tiebreak against Counds second pair meaning all equal going into the reverse rubbers.

Macrae and Oakley blasted their way through the second pair for the loss of only two games 6-1, 6-1 whilst Becky and Fiona fought well but eventually went down to the Cound first pair which meant the overall result was a draw with each side gaining two points.

The Ladies third team travelled to Shrewsbury tennis club with slight trepidation as their fixture was to be played on grass which was a new experience for all of the team, plus the fact that the Shrewsbury ladies were holding onto third spot in the division. Their opponents had a very strong first pair with a weaker second pair.

Both of the Oswestry pairs of Jo Dalietos and Carolyn Yates and Amanda Coxhead and Emily Lowe won against the opposing second pair winning in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 and 6-1, 6-4 respectively.

The rubbers against the opposing first pair were both much closer.

Dalietos and Yates got off to a slow start dropping the first set 3-6, but then got themselves back on track taking the second set 6-2 before winning the deciding third set tie break 1-0. Coxhead and Lowe won their first set 6-2 but then dropped the second 3-6 but again they also took the tie break 1-0 so the team came away with well-earned maximum points having enjoyed the experience of playing on what is now a very rare surface.

The team have elevated themselves into second place in the division, three points behind the current leaders Hinstock with a game in hand, with Wollerton their next opponents.