Clearview men's team scored a dramatic victory over Westcliff Hard Courts to win the Essex Senior Cup for the sixth time in their history when the finals were held at Thorpe Bay recently.

The Clearview team of Gavin Bradford and Steve Moir, Greg Huggett and Ata Khatib drew the tie 2-2 and 4-4 on sets.

To break the deadlock they had to play a deciding set with a player from each pair.

Bradford and Huggett teamed up and met Simon Bonham and Simon Chesher. They trailed 6-5 and 40-0 and it all looked over.

They won the next two points and then the drama. A shot from the Clearview pair hit the net cord, rolled along it and dropped over to save the third match point.

They won that game and the tie break to win the tie and clinch the trophy.

Team manager, John Tucker, was exhausted after just watching the final but delighted with Clearview's success.

There was more exhaustion in the Gidea Park camp as their second team won the Essex Intermediate Cup.

Finalists last year they went one better with a marathon victory over Thorpe Bay.

Andy Lawson and Kirk Butler took over four hours and a record breaking final set 20-18 to win their first match and give Gidea Park a 2-0 lead.

Peter French and Robert Gordon had already won. In the second round of matches French and Gordon clinched their match in three sets to give the Gidea team a 3-1 win and the Cup.

Clearview ladies second team added to the clubs success story by winning the Essex Junior Cup.

Their team of Catherine Norman, Melanie Hall, Kelly Philebrown and Laura Bain beat Great Baddow 4-0.

The Clearview mens thirds lost their Junior Cup (Division Two) final against Essex club 3-1.

Jack Stammers and Lee Belchamber won one match and the other pair were Roy Rogers and Gary Lewis.

Cranston Park mens seconds were runners up in the Junior Cup (Division One). They lost 2.5 to 1.5 to Redbridge seconds.

The Cranston Park team was Mark Downes, Robert Barham, Martin Vine and Bob Jaques.

The ladies Senior Cup title went to Connaught winners over Westcliff Hard after a play-off when the tie finished level.

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