The ladies first team of Oswestry Tennis Club began their delayed season this week with a home fixture.

Their first scheduled fixture was postponed because of heavy rain.

The team is now playing in the newly formed Shropshire Premier League where the top five teams in the county play each other home and away, and Oswestry were thrown in at the deep end when they were up against the 2017 league champions Shrewsbury 1sts.

In the first round rubbers the first pair of Fiona Russell and Flo Malherbe started off strongly against the opposing first pair holding their own in the first set to 5-5 before losing out 5-7, but they capitulated in the second set 1-6.

The second pair of captain Josie Macrae and partner Kat Oakley took their rubber in straight sets 6-2, 5-7 to level things up going into the reverse rubbers.

Again the Shrewsbury first pair proved too strong for the Oswestry ladies with Macrea and Oakley going down 1-6, 1-6, but Russell and Malherbe took their rubber for the loss of only one game 6-1, 6-0.

A draw was an impressive and excellent conclusion with a valuable two points in the bag.

Meanwhile the men’s first team continued their progress with another impressive full house of points with victory over Woodfield 3rds who they played at home this week.

In the first round rubbers captain Martin Shortt and partner Oliver Tombs romped to a straight sets victory 6-0, 6-1, and the second pair of Gary Edwards and Matt Grice continued the trend winning 6-1, 6-3.

The reverse rubbers proved as successful with both pairs again winning in straight sets 6-2, 6-2, and 6-1, 6-0, respectively.