PENARTH Windsor’s summer season is up and running with 10 adult teams competing across South Wales.

Of those, many were in action at the weekend although disappointingly few were in celebratory mood by Sunday evening.

A patched-up men’s first team travelled to Bridgend, and although Dan James and Jason Richards were able to take their second match to a nail-biting finale, they joined teammates Morgan Williams and Matt Holmes, and Tim Dawes and Tom Sidford in finishing second best to the hosts.

The second team are adapting to life in their highest division for many years and took on friendly rivals Radyr.

The teams have been promoted side by side in recent seasons and again looked equally matched with the fixture ending 3-3. The Toms, Cole and Sidford, won their two rubbers and with Guy Bradley and Ben Bellingham storming to a first match victory after dropping the first set, things looked promising for Windsor but the home side rallied.

Radyr subsequently edged the tie on sets when their second pair clinched victory over Windsor’s John Cox and Ben Davies.

There were also challenging afternoons for the Ladies’ third and fourth teams.

The thirds welcomed the fourth team of David Lloyd and put on a fine performance before falling just short. Grace Samuel and Ann Davies were unlucky to take nothing from two high-quality matches that could have gone either way. Gwenda Davies and Beverley House put a disappointing first match behind them to secure a solid 6-4, 6-2 win in their second match and add to the rubber won by Kay Clarke and Alison Ray. Unfortunately there was to be no third rubber for Windsor and David Lloyd left Penarth with a 4-2 victory.

The highpoint of Windsor’s weekend came courtesy of the Ladies second team who hosted Allt-Yr-Yn seconds. It’s been a great start to the year for the seconds who came into the match off the back of wins against Bridgend and Cowbridge and are already looking like a strong candidate for yet another promotion.

The team of Sarah Parkhouse, Cathy O’Doherty, Seren Marsh, Rachel Disley, Beth Hughes and Emma Thomas were understandably full of confidence and continued to ride their wave of good form with a 5-1 win over the visitors that never looked in doubt.