FRASER FULTON and Stephen Lewis completed a straight sets win as Helensburgh Tennis Club’s men’s first team climbed to the top of the table with a fine win away to Bearsden.

The pair, playing at first couple, took an early break to win the first set 6-4, and won the second 6-3 with some excellent long rallies and decisive net play, before recovering from 2-4 down to win the last 7-5 by forcing their opponents into errors.

Second couple Alan MacBeath and Felix Carpenter showed great tactical awareness to win their first two sets 6-4, 6-0, though their opponents fought back to take the third 2-6.

Third couple Alistair Hope and David McCowan, both called up from the second team, were unlucky to lose all three sets despite some strong groundstrokes and great net play, but Helensburgh still triumphed overall by a 5-4 margin.

That followed an excellent 7-2 win away to Mount Vernon the previous week, with Fulton and David Reid at first couple winning 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 and second couple Ciaran Losh and Felix Carpenter winning 6-2, 6-0, 6-2.

The tie of the night was at third couple where the first two sets both went to tie-breaks, with Alan MacBeath and Cameron White winning the first and the home pair the second 9-11, before Mount Vernon won the deciding set 6-4.

The club’s ladies’ second team lost 6-3 away to Clarkston, with first couple Val Pace and Jane Carroll and second couple Janette Howieson and Barbara Gilles both losing in straight sets to strong opponents, though third couple Ann McKelvie and Frankie Hanmer saved the Helensburgh blushes with a fine 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 win.

The men’s second team lost their tie away to Lanark but bounced back with a 6-3 win on a wet and windy evening at home to Hillhead.

First couple Hadden Smith and Bill Ram had a marathon night, losing the first set on a tie-break and the second 5-7 but roaring back to take the third 6-3 – losing the tie but winning more games over the course of the match.

Second couple Alastair Hope and David McCowan had no problems, winning 6-2, 6-3, 6-4; third couple Bobby Kerr and Stephen Humphreys won their first set and lost the second before upping their game to take the decider 6-2 thanks to a great performance from Stephen.

At 2nd couple Alastair Hope and David McCowan had no problems easily winning 6 -2, 6 – 3, 6 – 4. Bobby Kerr and Stephen Humphreys at 3rd couple won the opening set but soon found themselves

behind in the 2nd eventually losing it 3 – 6. The pair soon upped their game and took the deciding set 6 – 2 with a great performance from Stephen.