WHILE second-placed Studley A could only draw 2-2 with Littletons A, Stratford B opened up a five-point gap at the top of the Prudden Road Surfacing League Premier Division after a resounding 4-0 victory over their own D team.

Henley A, meanwhile, climbed into mid-table after another fine performance that brought a 4-0 win over FISSC A.

Sean Witheford and Dave Rudge stopped Studley's surge in an extremely competitive match, with most rubbers taken to three sets.

They overcame Clive Dalton and Chris Francis 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 and then defeated Dave Innes & Gary Jackson 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Meanwhile, Alan Reynolds and Frank Meadows put up a brave fight before going down to Studley's Innes and Jackson 7-6, 6-7, 3-6. They then succumbed to Dalton and Francis 6-4, 6-4.

Another close match between Henley and FISSC belied the 4-0 scoreline. FISSC's father and son duo of Bob and Matt Baker battled for almost four hours in losing two extremely tight three-set rubbers.

They lost out to Tim Burns and Julian Morris 6-7, 6-4, 6-3, who also overcame Steve Turner and Rob Jones 6-0, 6-3.

Dave Howard & Matt Ross then got the better of Turner and Jones 6-4, 6-4 and the Bakers 7-6, 2-6, 6-3.

Leaders Stratford B had little difficulty disposing of their D team rivals 4-0.

B pairing Callum Bailey and Rob Slatter defeated Chris Cottrell and Neil Claxton 6-1, 6-0, and Tom Innes and David Eburah by the same score.

Tim Page and Simon West overcame Innes and Eburah 6-2, 6-1 and Cottrell and Claxton 6-3, 6-3.

The final top flight contest saw honours even between Inkberrow A and Stratford C.

Scores: Adam Hill & Graeme Rankin (Inkberrow) bt George Goodman & David Hellier 6-0, 6-2, bt Peter McDonald & Mark Parsons 6-1, 6-3. Mark Rawling & Christian Duplan lost to McDonald & Parsons 2-6, 2-6, lost to Goodman & Hellier 6-7, 6-7.

Claverdon A stay four points clear in the first division after another 4-0 win - this time over Bidford A who drop a place.

Chipping Campden A kept up the pressure in second place by also claiming maximum points with a 4-0 victory over

Claverdon looked impressive in their straight sets win as Andy Williams and Richard Butler dropped only six games all night in defeating Malcolm Dewsbury and Simon Price 6-2, 6-0 and Matt Saunders and Andy Cox (Bidford) 6-2, 6-2.

Other scores: Pieter Van-Hengel & Nigel Baker bt Saunders & Cox 6-4, 6-2, Dewsbury & Price 6-3, 6-2.

Campden's task was only marginally more difficult in overcoming Pershore.

Ken Dawson and Mark Evans beat Steve Merrick and John Alexander 6-2, 6-0 and Robin Holbrook and Andy Popplewell 6-1, 6-4.

Mark Kirkbride and Rolf Wilson rounded off a good night with wins over Holbrook and Popplewell (6-2, 6-0) and Merrick and Alexander 4-6, 6-0, 6-2.

Other scores - Littletons B 2, Tanworth-in-Arden 2: John Fielder & Mark Hubbard (Littletons) bt Nick Danks & Ian Phillips 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, bt Phil Wells & Matthew Caldicott 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. Dixie Collins & James Plant lost to Wells & Caldicott 6-2, 5-7, 2-6, & Danks & Phillips 2-6, 5-7.

Aston Cantlow 2, Inkberrow B 2: Wilf Chan & John Nicklass (Cantlow) bt Craig Weedon & Tim Kenneally 3-6, 7-6, 7-6, & Andrew Grant & Mike Baker 6-3, 6-2. Greg Reeves & Stuart Millman lost to Grant & Baker 4-6, 4-6, & Weedon & Kenneally 3-6. 1-6.

Evesham cemented their place at the head of the third division after a 4-0 defeat of Littletons C.

The defeat cost the losers second place after Ilmington's 3-1 win at Bidford. The other match in this section ended all-square as hosts Henley drew 2-2 with Shipston.