THE battle for the Leigh & Westcliff LTA winter title took a twist as the top two teams dropped points.

Division One leaders Kent Elms were rocked by a 3-2 defeat to bottom-of-the-table Hockley, who are 11 points adrift at the bottom.

And second-placed Westcliff Hard were held to a 2-2 draw by third-placed Thorpe Bay, leaving Hard two points behind Elms and a point in front of Thorpe.

Nicola Edwards and Sophie Scanlon gave Hockley the perfect start with a 6-4 6-4 win over Elms’ Jo Hancock and Emma Mellish.

Maria Baker and Janice Cowell took their first set 6-4 but Elms pairing Debby Lincoln and Steph Haddrell hit back 6-2 6-2 to salvage two points from the fixture.

Hard’s Sue Blackshaw and Julie Pullen beat Thorpe’s Fiona Coull and Heather Clark 6-1 6-2 but Sally Magerison and Julie Jones squared the match by beating Hard’s Drucie Redman and Nicky Dickens 6-2 6-1.

Men’s results, Division 1: Thorpe Bay v Hadleigh Park (3-6 4-6, 3-6 6-1 3-6) sets 1-4, points 1-5. Division 2: Westcliff Hard II v Hadleigh Park II (4-6 7-5 2-6, 4-6 7-5 0-6) 2-4, 2-4; Hadleigh Park II v Thorpe Bay II (5-7 6-2 6-4, 2-6 4-6) 2-3, 2-4. Division 3: Kent Elms II v Southend Lawn (3-6 7-5 1-6, 1-6 4-6) 1-4, 1-5; Westcliff lawn II v Thorpe Bay II (6-2 7-5, 6-2 4-6 5-7) 3-2, 4-2. Division 4: Rayleigh III v Southend Lawn II (2-6 0-6, 1-6 2-6) 0-4, 0-6. Division 6: David Lloyd III v Southend Lawn III (2-6 6-7, 3-6 6-3 3-6) 1-4, 1-5; Deanes v Rayleigh IV (6-2 6-3, 6-4 6-1) 4-0, 6-0. Division 7: Invicta II v St Peter’s (6-7 1-6, 6-3 1-6 0-6) 1-4, 1-5.

Ladies’ results, Division 1: Westcliff Hard v Thorpe Bay (6-1 6-2, 2-6 1-6) 2-2, 3-3; Kent Elms v Hockley (4-6 4-6, 4-6 6-2 6-2) 2-3, 2-4. Division 2: Westcliff Lawn II v Rayleigh (4-6 3-6, 3-6 7-6 6-1) 2-3, 2-4; Invicta v Westcliff Hard II (6-1 6-4, 3-6 3-6) 2-2, 3-3; Southend Lawn v Thorpe Bay II (6-2 6-2, 6-0 6-2) 4-0, 6-0. Division 3: Thorpe Bay III v Westcliff Lawn III (7-6 7-5, 4-6 6-2 6-7) 3-2, 4-2; Hadleigh Park v Kent Elms II (6-4 6-2, 6-4 4-6 7-6) 4-1, 5-1; Rochford v Rayleigh II (6-2 7-6, 2-6 6-4 6-4) 4-1, 5-1. Division 4: Wickford v Thorpe Bay IV (2-6 6-4 6-7, 4-6 6-3 6-4) 3-3, 3-3; David Lloyd II v Westcliff Hard III (2-6 3-6, 1-6 3-6) 0-4, 0-6; Southend Lawn II v Westcliff Lawn IV (6-1 6-1, 6-3 6-4) 4-0, 6-0. Division 5: Hockley II v Westcliff Hard IV (6-7 6-2 3-6, 7-5 6-3) 3-2, 4-2.

Mixed results, Division 1: Hadleigh Park v Thorpe Bay (7-6 6-3, 6-2 6-3) 4-0, 6-0. Division 2: Southend Lawn v Invicta (4-6 6-4 5-7, 7-5 6-7 3-6) 2-4, 2-4. Division 3: Hockley v David Lloyd II (6-1 3-6 6-0, 6-1 6-3) 4-1, 5-1. Division 4: Rayleigh III v Crowstone (6-3 3-6 6-3, 6-1 6-4) 4-1, 5-1. Division 5: Wickford v Westcliff Hard III (6-2 6-1, 7-6 4-6 6-4) 4-1, 5-1. Division 6: Leigh Road Baptist v Westcliff Hard IV (1-6 3-6, 3-6 2-6) 0-4, 0-6. Division 7: St Peter’s v David Lloyd IV (2-6 3-6 0-3, 6-0 6-0 w/o) 2-2, 3-3.