THE final week of the Prudden Road Surfacing League saw the championship go to Stratford C despite dropping a crucial point to Littleton.

Stratford took to the court knowing that Inkberrow, at home to bottom team Tan-worth, were expected to win 4-0. This meant that a 4-0 victory for Stratford would guarantee them the title.

Coach Simon Roach and Dennis Mecklenberg began well for Stratford defeating Dave Rudge and Frank Meadows 6-4, 6-0, before then overcoming Sean Witheford and Chris Elliott 6-1, 7-5.

Meanwhile, on the other court, there were two nail-biting three-set matches.

Chris Bailey and Rob Slatter kept Stratford's title hopes alive with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 victory over Rudge and Meadows but, in the other, disaster struck as the Stratford pair went down 3-6, 7-5, 4-6 to Witheford and Elliott.

So Stratford's players left the courts convinced they had blown the championship. However, their was a twist in the tale.

Inkberrow were missing three of their top players due to county commitments and they then lost two more.

They, nevertheless, began strongly and Adrian Hill and Graeme Rankin whitewashed Nick Danks and Ken Jones and then got the better of Phil Wells and Richard Littlechild 6-3, 6-4.

That however, was the end for the title chasers as their stand-in players, despite a valiant effort, losing only the first rubber in two very close tie-break sets 6-7, 6-7, to Wells and Littlechild and the other only after three hard sets to Danks and Jones 4-6, 6-4, 5-7.

This left a disbelieving Stratford team champions for the first time by a solitary point.

In the final Division One match of the week, sister side Stratford B assured a third place finish by defe-ating Chipping Campden A 3-1.

Scores: Tim Page & Simon West bt Ken Dawson & Mark Adams 6-2, 6-4, & David Townrow & Ryan Christie 6-1, 6-4. Mark Denby & Peter McDonald bt Townrow & Christie 7-6, 6-0, lost to Dawson & Adams 6-3, 1-6, 0-6.

Stratford D have won the second division title with 41 points and are promoted to the top flight division along with FISSC.

Relegated to Division Three are HDA Redditch and Chipping Campden B.

Pershore are promoted to Division Two as champions along with Bidford A, while Alcester and Claverdon B are relegated.

Shipston are crowned Division Four champions in their first season in the league and will be accompanied up the ladder by Stratford E.