Matches hit by player injuries

3:26pm Thursday 6th March 2008

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INJURIES wrecked two matches as the battle for promotion and relegation hots up in the Leigh & Westcliff LTA winter leagues.

Westcliff Hardcourts' men's first team had gone down in the first set of their Division One fixture away to leaders Thorpe Bay.

Jamie Willson and Temple Ray lost their rubber 6-2 6-4 to Graham Ray and John Blackman but Terry Taylor and Dave Blunt won the first set of their rubber 6-4.

And hopes of forcing a draw and a share of the spoils were dashed when Taylor was injured in the second set and his subsequent retirement meant Alan Rayner and Mike Baggs took the set 4-6 6-0 6-0 to help Thorpe claim maximum spoils.

The other injury came in the Mixed Division Two encounter between Southend Lawn II and visitors Rayleigh II.

Simon Steggles and Sally Marsham had put Southend ahead with a 6-7 6-2 6-3 win over Roger Chambers and Judy Barham.

Rayleigh's John Middleton and Chris Peters took their first set against Caroline Willis and Alex Lamperell 6-4 and were 3-0 up in the second when injury forced Lamperell out and handed the Rayleigh pair a 6-0 win.

Hadleigh Park had an unexpected bonus in Men's Division Three when visitors Southend Lawn II were unable to field a team, leaving the hosts to secure six points.

MEN'S RESULTS Division 1: Rayleigh v Rochford (6-2 6-4, 6-3 6-3) sets 4-0, points 6-0; Thorpe Bay v Westcliff Hard (6-2 6-4, 4-6 6-0 6-0 retired) 4-1, 5-1.

Division 3: Rochford II v Kent Elms II (0-6 3-6, 5-7 4-6) 0-4, 0-6; Hadleigh Park v Southend Lawn III (6-0 6-0 w/o, 6-0 6-0 w/o) 4-0, 6-0.

Division 4: Rayleigh II v Westcliff Hard III (1-6 4-6, 6-1 6-2) 2-2, 3-3.

LADIES' RESULTS Division 4: St Peter's v Crowstone (2-6 3-6, 2-6 3-6) 0-4, 0-6; Westcliff Lawn II v Thorpe Bay IV (7-6 2-6 0-6, 6-2 7-5) 3-2, 4-2; Hockley II v Leigh III (0-6 3-6, 1-6 1-6) 0-4, 0-6.

Division 5: Leigh IV v David Lloyd (5-7 0-6, 4-6 2-6) 0-4, 0-6; Thorpe Bay III v Westcliff Hard IV (2-6 3-6, 6-3 3-6 2-6) 1-4, 1-5.

MIXED RESULTS Division 1: Rayleigh v Southend Lawn (6-3 6-2, 6-1 6-3) 4-0, 6-0; Leigh v Thorpe Bay (2-6 0-6, 2-6 1-6) 0-4, 0-6; Kent Elms v Westcliff Hard (6-3 6-4, 6-4 6-0) 4-0, 6-0.

Division 2: Westcliff Lawn v Wickford (6-1 6-0, 6-0 6-0) 4-0, 6-0; Kent Elms II v Thorpe Bay II (2-6 2-6, 2-6 2-6) 0-4, 0-6; Southend Lawn II v Rayleigh II (6-7 6-2 6-3, 4-6 0-6 retired) 2-3, 2-4.

Division 3: Westcliff Hard II v Kent Elms III (6-2 6-4, 7-5 6-3) 4-0, 6-0.

Division 4: Thorpe Bay IV v Leigh III (6-3 4-6 6-2, 6-0 6-4) 4-1, 5-1; Rayleigh III v Southend Lawn III (6-2 6-1, 3-6 7-5 2-6) 3-2, 4-2.

Division 5: Westliff Hard IV v Rochford II (6-4 2-6 7-5, 5-7 2-6) 2-3, 2-4; Crowstone v Kent Elms IV (6-1 6-3, 6-0 6-2) 4-0, 6-0; David Lloyd v Leigh Road Baptist (6-2 6-2, 6-4 3-6 6-2) 4-1, 5-1.