WALMER’S men’s A team finished the Bolton Tennis League season in a creditable fifth place in Division One, despite ending their campaign with a 7-2 defeat to David Lloyd A (Chorley).

Andy and Mike Davies’s 6-0, 6-2 win were Walmer’s only successful pair. Andy’s contribution and the improved play of Jay Hardy and Adam Gooddy and fine input from Tom Lemon, Josh Taylor and Rick Morley have all been key factors in the club’s encouraging performance.

The men’s B team were away at Eagley and lost a tight match 5-4, but the good news was the fact that they finished runners up in Division Three. Their mainstay has been the consistent winning partnership of Dave Gerrard and Steve Routledge with Ryan Tierney, Graham Jebb, Phil Mansfield and Rhys Taylor providing solid support.

The men’s C team, with a mix of youth and experience, led by Stu Donaldson, had an open date but they were able to celebrate finishing runners-up in Division Six as other results went their way. Wyn Lees, Julian Nuttall, Stew Hardy and Raj Rahman have helped juniors Luke Blackburn and Joe Donaldson settle into a squad that should do well next season.

The mixed A team won well at David Lloyd (Bolton) 65-49 to clinch second place in Division Two, despite a much-changed team.

Hardy and Gooddy have been consistent throughout the season and Hattie Morley has made the breakthrough to keep a regular place in the team by getting good results. The mixed B team lost their last match to David Lloyd (Bolton) 63-45 but still ended a respectable third place in Division Three.

The mixed C team lost their match 49-44 at home, for the third time this season losing out in the final set. Brian Richards and Bruce Hardman won their sets and Jill Ashworth, Jane Horan and Megan Suthurst scored well, but this defeat meant the C team ended the season second-bottom of Division Six.

Walmer’s only title of the season was secured by the junior squad in winning the Second Division with a 100 per cent record, and almost all of the squad have made the transition to the senior teams.