DOREEN Flatman and Louise Robertson staged an amazing comeback as Craighelen Tennis Club’s ladies’ second team beat Western 5 by five sets to four last week.

Trailing by one set, and 5-2 down in the second, the pair dug deep and encouraged each other to win the set 8-6 on a tie-break before winning the third 6-1 in fine style – a result that was to prove crucial in the overall outcome of the match.

At second couple Ashley Bolton and Anne Barrie lost their sets despite some positive rallies, but Barbara McCall and Eileen Drummond, after taking some time to adjust to the pace of Western’s artificial clay courts, won 6-4, 6-2, 6-1.

The only other Craighelen match to beat the weather last week saw the men’s 60s team beat Woodend 4-2; David Thorpe and Jim McGowan dropped only one game in their straight sets victory, while Rob Colston and Arthur Connolly stuck to their task and, after losing the first two sets 3-6, 6-7, took the vital third 6-4.

Meanwhile, a short distance along the road, Helensburgh Tennis Club’s ladies’ first team lost 6-3 to Thorn Park; Liz Wylie and Suzanne Marshall at second couple, and Gay Black and Alison Fotheringham at second, lost in straight sets, but the tie between the first couples was much closer.

Katie Hope and Ann Morison were 1-4 down in the first set, but found their rhythm and fought back to win it 6-4; the second set was just as close, but the Helensburgh pair showed enough consistency to win it 6-3, and as the visitors tired Katie and Ann took charge to win the third 6-1.

The club’s ladies’ 60+ first team lost their unbeaten record against David Lloyd Hamilton in a match played on the Lanarkshire club’s indoor courts due to the very wet conditions outside.

That immediately put Helensburgh at a disadvantage as they struggled to adjust to the bright lights, fast surface and heat, and Janette Howieson and Fiona McLaren at second couple, and Jackie Hunter and Ann Morison at second, both lost in straight sets.

And the ladies’ 60+ second team had a virtually identical time of it away to Nuffield Milngavie: their match was also moved to the inside courts, and although the team of Phyllis Fullarton, Carol Young, Janette Green and Trish Schooling gave it their very best, they were unable to make much impression on the Milngavie quartet and lost 0-6.

The Helensburgh men’s first team match fell victim to the weather on Friday; they travel to Greenock this week to play Ardgowan.