Evesham and District Association

EVESHAM Rowing Club's Division One season got off to a disastrous start when they crashed 10-0 to visiting Wyre Livewyres.

Their problems started when Graham Briscombe was forced to withdraw ill so they were forced to play with two players - thus giving three games away.

Things didn't improve and Geoff Woodward, Eric Lane and Malcolm Macfarlane soon saw off John Buxton and John Teare in the seven remaining games.

A much closer match took place at Littleton where the newly formed Diamonds went down 6-4 against Bengeworth Tigers.

Grahame Brown easily won his three singles for the visitors, but Jill Stride and Paul Witts both overcame Bob Price and Martin Brown.

Young Brown got the better of Bruce Ford 14-12, 9-11, 11-6, 11-3 to put the Tigers 5-4 ahead and then, together with father Grahame, took the doubles and the match against Ford and Stride.

In Division Two, last season's wooden spoonists, Littleton Borg started the new season in emphatic style with a 9-1 thrashing of Bengeworth Lions.

Rob Sinderberry and new signing Marc Virgo both won three singles each, while Maria Casas beat Jean Lewis and Gavin Fisher. The Lions' consolation game from Geoff Clark beating Casas 11-6, 11-6, 12-10.

Reigning champions Bengeworth Sapphires beat Wyre Coils 7-3 with Dave Simkins and Bill Roberts unbeaten in their singles.

Ray Griffiths and David Fisher accounted for Colin Green and Griffiths and Leon Williams' doubles success earned the Coils a point.

Roger Keyte and Stan Owen both scored maximums in Bengeworth 49ers' 6-4 win over Littleton Super-marine.

The Wyre derby between Barbedwyre and Netting finished in a honourable draw.

Mike Vick beat Eric Salter 11-9, 5-11, 16-14, 7-11, 11-7 and was unbeaten for the Barbedwyre with Salter and Graham Gooderham both defeating Mike Moore and John Parfitt.

Malcolm Daley also overcame Parfitt but Moore and Vick just edged out Salter and Daley 13-11 in the fifth game of the doubles to earn the draw.