The ladies second team lost their first two matches of the winter season in October and then regrouped to win next two in November and December, which puts them into second place going into the Christmas break.
In their first match, they took on a 'rogue' Southdown fourth team (Lewes), on their clay courts - rogue in the sense that they fielded some new players who's level was some way above the other teams in division 9E. However, Gemma Bridger and Mel Gurnee fought hard for a championship tie-break victory against the second pair and fought just as hard going down in another championship tie-break to the first pair. Our second pairing of Leesha Daniells and Sandra Neale battled well but went down in straights sets to both pairs.
Next up was another away game against Newick's second team, with a similar 3-1 loss. Once again, Gemma and Mel defeated the second pair - this time with relative ease in straight sets - but lost to the first pair in two closely contested sets. Liz Ritchie and Sandra Neale lost to the second pair after a mammoth effort which went to a championship tie-break after two long first sets and despite competing well until the end suffered a straight sets loss to the first pair.
A turnaround came in the next match at home against Crowborough's fourth team, played in gale-force winds. Both our pairs - Gemma Bridger/Mel Gurnee and Alex Twiddy/Jane Hugo - won their first rubbers in straight sets and with relative ease. Understandably, the Crowborough players did not want to play the second rubbers, given the inclement weather, and as a result, our team took the win.
In their final match, ten days before Christmas, our ladies took on Cross in Hand's fourth team at home, when it was straight set wins all round. Regular partners, Gemma Bridger and Mel Gurnee won 6-4, 6-1 and 6-2, 6-3; Alex Twiddy and Leesha Daniells claimed their victories by 6-2, 6-2 and 6-3, 6-0.
The team's first match of the New Year is on Sunday 26th January at home.