Westcliff Lawn rocked high-flying Rayleigh by beating their hosts 5-1 in Ladies’ Division One.
Lawn remain in bottom spot but picked up five points to edge to within three points of nearest rivals Kent Elms in the Leigh & Westcliff LTA competition.
The reverse meant Rayleigh now trail leaders Thorpe Bay by six points after four matches.
Lawn’s Gillian Sanderson and Nalandi Ebdon Sharma drew the first set 6-4 2-6 with Lauren Duffield and Sophie Hart.
But Julie Milner and Nicola Hipkins defeated Rayleigh’s Cathy Chambers and Gemma Smith 6-3 6-4, before Rebecca Attwood and Claire Elliott wrapped things up with Bottom-of-the-table Southen Lawn III pulled of a 3-3 draw with top dogs Kent Elms II in Men’s Division Four.
Steve Jennings and Lee Hitchcock put Lawn ahead with a 6-4 6-0 win over Craig Butler and Adam Yates. But Jan Thorpe and Mark Hughes levelled for Elms by beating Mick Davis and James Driscoll 6-4 6-2.
Richard Spence and Trevor Noad handed Elms the advantage in the third rubber with a 6-2 first set win, but Nick Stuart and Guy Carter ensured a share of the spoils by taking the second set 6-2.
FULL RESULTS IN THURSDAY'S ECHO
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