WILSON PLYMOUTH & DISTRICT TENNIS LEAGUE REVIEW OF THE SEASON by David Williams

MEN'S LEAGUE

DIVISION ONE: Tavistock A dominated, finishing with a 100 per cent record and 77 points out of 80 and 31 points ahead of runners-up St Budeaux A, the biggest margin ever.

Most teams promoted from Division Two fail to stay up, but St Budeaux A spectacularly bucked the trend and achieved their highest position.

Mannamead A, who at one time were in danger of relegation, had a strong finish in third spot.

Both Ivybridge A and Devonshire A had their worst results with team selection always a problem.

The standard of their teams varied widely from week to week and Devonshire paid the price by being relegated. St Budeaux B, promoted last season, went straight back to Division Two.

DIVISION TWO: With the addition of new players, Hill Lane A were comfortable winners and had two good pairs in a settled line-up in a second successive promotion.

Devonshire B, down from Division One, had only one regular player from last year, but with only one defeat clinched second place and promotion.

After several successful seasons, Looe A were not so strong in 2011 and were relegated.

Also going down were Mannamead B, who after promotion last season scored just 12 points, eight of which came from two draws.

DIVISION THREE: After just one season in the division, Plymstock A bounced straight back. A settled team helped enormously.

Plympton A continued their rise up the divisions in another promotion.

Tavistock had two teams in the division but will have only one in 2012 as the D team lost their place.

In last place were Ivybridge B, who suffered successive relegations and find themselves in their lowest division for years.

DIVISION FOUR: Hill Lane B made a great start to the season and despite not such a good second half to the season, still clinched promotion by 11 points.

St Budeaux C sealed promotion by one point from St Mellion.

St Mellion must be the unluckiest team as they won seven matches out of 10, but in the three matches they lost, scored only three points.

Plympton B, after just one season in the division, must have been disappointed to have been relegated, along with Torpoint who only had a small squad available.

DIVISION FIVE: There were contrasting fortunes for the Ivybridge teams. The E team clinched promotion but it was the drop for the D team.

Yelverton made the second promotion place on set-difference from Mannamead C.

Saltash, despite winning four matches, were the other relegated team.

DIVISION SIX: Plympton C were composed mainly of promising juniors, but who responded to the faith in them, by winning the division.

After many seasons in free-fall it was good to see Whiteford Road moving back up to Division Five.

The teams to move down to Division Seven are Devonshire C and Saltash C.

DIVISION SEVEN: Tavistock F had a few scares in the second half of the season but ended up winners.

Another young team, Hill Lane D only lost one match and finished comfortably in second place for a deserved promotion. However Hill Lane C along with Looe B have to seek re-election.

LADIES' LEAGUE

DIVISION ONE: Devonshire A with a 100 per cent record regained the title with an eight-point lead over 2010 champions Ivybridge A.

Devonshire completed the double over Ivybridge, which proved crucial.

A last-match win kept Mannamead A up, with Ivybridge B losing their place ending in fifth place on sets difference.

After several seasons St Budeaux A also lost their Division One status.

DIVISION TWO: In an identical scenario to the Men's Division Two, Hill Lane A and Devonshire B go up. For both it was just a one season stay in Division Two after relegation in 2010.

The relegated teams were Ivybridge C and Mannamead B with just one win each. Mannamead B, with 13 points, had just one more point than their men's B team.

DIVISION THREE: Unbeaten Whiteford Road A, having played well all season, won the division by nine points from Tavistock B, who clinched promotion for the second successive season.

St Budeaux C failed by five points to avoid relegation and Ivybridge D with just two draws also go down to Division Four.

DIVISION FOUR: Yelverton B and St Mellion, both down from Division Three, go back up at the first attempt with the move of St Mellion to field only one team paying dividends.

Plympton B were relegated last season from Division Four but given a reprieve when a team withdrew. They however failed to take advantage, suffering the same fate as in 2010 and are going down along with Looe.

DIVISION FIVE: Only five teams competed and continuing the trend of immediate promotion after relegation were Devonshire C, with Yelverton C joining them in Division Four next season. Ivybridge E have to seek re-election.