Tennis
BARNARD Castle played their first tennis match of the season in the Darlington and District league away at Bishop Auckland on Sunday, May 15.
It was the first round in the mixed cup match.
In the men’s match, Steve Sumner and Don Everett took an early lead 2-0 but were unable to sustain their form and lost out 4-6, 1-6 while the ladies, Sue Hudson and Melissa Sanderson, were quick out of the starting blocks taking both sets 6-2, 6-3 to level the score going into the mixed matches.
Sue and Steve played as first pair and were soon 3-1 down before getting their act together to take the first set 6-4. They kept the momentum going to take the second 6-0.
Meanwhile, second pair Melissa and Don had a much harder time and playing some long rallies as the first set went to a tie break which their opponents took – and they then took the next set 6-3.
With the score in sets even, it was down to the number of games won and in such a close game Barnard Castle came out the morning's winners 38-34 to progress to the next round.
Meanwhile, the ladies B team of Melissa and Fleur Sanderson, Judy Freeman and Di Peat were away to Wellfield at High Coniscliffe, and Melissa and Judy were not messing about taking both sets 6-0, 6-0.
However, it was a different story for Fleur and Di. In a close match Wellfield came out top 6-4 in the first set but the Barney ladies dug deep to take the next set 7-5 halving the match.
At the turning point Barnard Castle were leading 3-1.
Melissa and Judy carried on from the previous match taking their tie 6-1, 6-0 while Fluer and Di kept their winning form going in their first set 6-2 but slowed in the second set to lose 4-6.
At the end of an evening of good tennis Barnard Castle were the winners 6-2.
In the home match in the first of the Cleveland League matches Sam Everett, Lucy Brenkley, Jonathan Kirk, Melissa Sanderson, Scott Patrick and Clare Trevett were hosts to Great Ayton. In this league it is the first pair to 8 with 2 games clear and tie break at 8 all.
The Barney team dominated all the matches to run out comfortable winners.
