STRATFORD increased their lead at the top of the Prudden Road Surfacing League after closest rivals Studley lost 3-1 at home to Shipston.

The section leaders, mea-nwhile, got the better of third-placed Claverdon 4-0 to open up a formidable gap at the halfway point of the campaign.

Stratford's first pair Rob Slatter and Callum Bailey ran out comfortable winners in both their rubbers beating Peter Van-Hengel and James Courier 6-1, 6-2 and Richard Butler and Andy Williams by the same score.

Simon West and Richard Monk overcame Butler and Williams 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 and Van-Hengel and Cou-rier 6-4, 6-3.

Raised

Shipston raised their game for an excellent victory as Adam Moran and Toby Kemp got the better of Dave Innes and Gary Jackson 4-6, 7-5, 6-0 and Mike Stanton and Chris McGregor 6-2, 6-2.

Ed Bosley and Barry Tugwood also defeated Stanton and McGregor 6-3, 6-1 but lost 6-0, 6-2 to Innes and Jackson.

Henley's match with Inkberrow and the clash between FISSC and Lit-tleton both ended 2-2 enjoyed a hard- fought match before sharing the honours 2-2 as did FISSC and Littleton.

The top two were in winning form the following week as Stratford overcame a weakened Henley 4-0 and Shipston matched that margin of victory against Claverdon.

Studley, meanwhile, def-eated FISSC 3-1 and Lit-tleton and Inkberrow sha- red the spoils after a 2-2 draw.

Inkberrow stay top of the second division after victories over HDA Redditch (4-0) and Alcester (3-1).

Despite losing a rearr-anged match at Alcester 3-1, Stratford E retained second place after victories over Pershore (3-1) and a surprising 4-0 win over Stratford D.

The latter, though, moved up to third after defeating Studley B 4-0. Moreton dropped a place despite a 3-1 win over Alcester, while HDA drew 2-2 with Alcester in another rearranged match bef-ore beating Studley B 3-1.

The latest results in Division Three see Arden-cote still on top after a 3-1 win over Claverdon B followed by a 2-2 draw with Snitterfield.

However, Whitnash have closed to within a point after a brace of 4-0 victories over Campden B and a 2-2 draw with Snitter-field.

Littleton C have slipped down to third despite beating Bidford B 3-1 and leading 2-1 against Clave-rdon when the floodlights went out!

Ilmington remain in fourth after losing 3-1 to Campden B before hitting back to defeat Bidford B 3-1.

Snitterfield moved out of the relegation zone thanks to excellent two draws with Whitnash and Arde-ncote, while Claverdon B and Bidford B stay rooted to the bottom.

Division Four outfit Alcester B played four matches in two weeks and, in the first two rearranged matches they overcame Studley C and Henley B 4-0.

In their third match they were beaten 3-1 by Shipston B before coming back to defeat Moreton B 3-1 to stay on top of the pile.

Claverdon C are in second after 3-1 victories over Studley C and Henley B, Shipston moved up to fourth after chalking up a second win with a 3-1 victory over Stu-dley C 3-1, while Harbury defeated Henley B 3-1.

Latest league standings

Premier Division

P W D L F A Pts

Stratford 8 8 0 0 30 2 30

Studley 7 4 1 2 17 11 17

Shipston 7 4 1 2 17 11 17

Littleton 8 2 4 2 15 17 15

Inkberrow 6 2 3 1 13 11 13

Claverdon 8 2 1 5 12 20 12

Henley 8 0 3 5 8 24 8

FISSC 8 1 1 6 8 24 8

Division One

P W D L F A Pts

Campden 5 5 0 0 19 1 19

Evesham 5 4 1 0 18 2 18

Stratford C 5 4 0 1 17 3 17

Littleton B 6 2 1 3 10 14 10

Tanworth 5 1 2 2 8 12 8

Bidford 6 1 1 4 7 17 7

FISSC B 6 1 1 4 5 19 5

Aston Cantlow 6 0 1 5 4 20 4

Division Two

P W D L F A Pts

Inkberrow B 8 6 2 0 24 8 24

Stratford E 8 4 3 1 22 10 22

Stratford D 8 4 2 2 18 14 18

Moreton 7 5 0 2 17 11 17

Pershore 7 2 1 4 13 15 13

Alcester 7 1 3 3 12 16 12

HDA 8 1 2 5 9 23 9

Studley B 8 1 1 6 8 24 8

Division Three

P W D L F A Pts

Ardencote 8 6 1 1 22 10 22

Whitnash 7 4 1 1 21 7 21

Littleton C 8 5 1 2 18 13 18

Ilmington 8 3 2 3 16 16 16

Campden B 8 3 2 3 15 17 15

Snitterfield 8 1 4 3 12 20 12

Claverdon B 7 1 2 4 11 16 11

Bidford B 8 0 1 7 7 25 7

Division Four

P W D L F A Pts

Alcester B 7 5 1 1 22 6 22

Claverdon C 7 4 3 0 20 8 20

Moreton B 7 2 3 2 14 14 14

Shipston B 7 3 1 3 13 15 13

Henley B 6 1 1 4 9 19 9

Harbury 5 2 1 2 8 12 8

Studley C 5 0 0 5 2 18 2