THE ANNUAL general and fixture meetings were told by chairman Keith Ward that the 2003 season had been one of the best thanks to the weather helping the league run smoothly.
A few matches had not been played and the chairman asked that, in these small number of cases, league officials are informed of what is going on, so we have a completed set of league tables for the season.
Congratulations to Epworth, Humberston Country Club, 4PS and St James in winning the 4 Divisions, but also to all the teams for taking part and the match secretaries in getting the teams organised. Fifteen clubs provided 24 teams in 2003.
Mr Ward thanked secretary Cyril Bennett and vice-chairman and treasurer Peter Salsbury who continued to ensure the smooth running of the league.
The chairman went through each club in turn to get their entries for 2-couple tennis. Gainsborough wished to resign their team from Division 1, but retain the team in Division 2. This made a grand total of 13. It was agreed no team be relegated from Division One but the Humberston Country Club would be promoted to make 7 teams in division 1 and six in Division 2.
Division One - App-Frod, Epworth 1, Humberston Country Club, 4PS, Scotter 1, Grange Park and Tealby 1.
The same 11 teams as last year wanted to remain in 2-couple Divisions midweek, so St James were promoted at the expense of Brigg.
Thus the two divisions would be as follows: Division One - Tealby 1, St James, Welholme, 4PS, Humberston Country Club. Division Two - Tealby 2, Caistor, Market Rasen, Habrough/Keelby, Briggands and Brigg.
A winter Saturday evening league of 11 teams in two divisions was nearing completion at Grange Park. Scunthorpe had pipped Gainsborough 2 and Brigg to win Division 2 by one point. The match between App-Frdo and the 4PS would decide Division One.
North Kelsey Tennis Club has had to decline for this season due to shortage of match players.
Results from the first week of play -
1st Division Weekend
Epworth (1) beat Tealby (1) by 51 games to 36
4PS (Grimsby) beat Appleby Frodingham by 56 games to 26
Appleby Frodingham beat Epworth by 45 games to 35
4PS (Grimsby) beat Grange Park (Scunthorpe) by 55 games to 26
Scotter (1) beat Epworth (1) by 51 games to 38
2nd Division Weekend
Tealby (2) beat Epworth (2) by 44 games to 34
Welholme (Grimsby) beat Caistor by 47 games to 37
1st Division Midweek
Welholme (Grimsby) beat Humberston CC by 55 games to 43
St James (Grimsby) beat 4PS (Grimsby by 40 games to
2nd Division Midweek
Habrough Keelby beat Briggands. Market Rasen conceded to Brigg.