HELENSBURGH Tennis Club’s ladies’ veteran third team beat Giffnock 4-2 in their first match of the season.

Alison Fotheringham (pictured left) and Jackie Hunter at first couple won their first set 6–2 with a combination of Alison’s volleys at the net and Jackie’s hard hitting groundstrokes, and won the second 6-3 before their opponents took the last set 4-6.

Second couple Joanna Crumless and Sue Macrae dug deep to win their match by two sets to one – the first two sets both went to tie breaks, which each pair winning one, but in spite of some tired legs it was the Burgh pair who won the third 6-3.

The team’s next match against Milngavie didn’t have such a happy ending, with Alison and Jackie losing all three sets and Sue and her new playing partner Janette Howieson losing the first two 5-7, 4-6 before salvaging some pride with a 6-1 win in the last set.

Helensburgh’s first ladies senior team started their autumn campaign well with two wins in the first two weeks.

Against David Lloyd Hamilton, the first pair of Katie Hope and Karrie Walters won all three sets, while the second couple, Yolanda Trewhella and Gay Black, lost the first set and won the second, only for the Hamilton pair to take the third 2-6 – though the one set the Burgh pair did win was enough for a 4-2 overall success.

Karrie and Katie were again in fine form in the next match at home to Thorn Park, winning all three sets for the loss of only four games.

Yolanda and her partner Ann Morrison, however, were engaged in a marathon match with many long rallies, plenty of lobs and little to chose between the pairs.

Helensburgh came from behind to win the first set on a tie-break, only to lose the second in the same fashion – but with the Thorn Park pair tiring, Yolande and Ann regrouped and won the final set 6-1 for a 5-1 overall win.