Following the advice of a recent book, Braintree Tennis Club's Ladies team headed out of town to Earls Colne and the Essex Country Club for their last match of the season against Essex Ladies B.

Captain Sue Spinks, partnered by Jenny Gillingwater, and Sam Williamson (who was making her debut for Braintree) with partner Jackie Williams, played in warm conditions on the covered courts.

This had little effect on their play however as they recorded a crushing 8-0 victory with Sam and Jackie dropping only one game in their four sets.

This final result means that Braintree Ladies won 79 out of 96 sets and gained 21 points out of 24, having lost only one match in the season to make them clear winners of the Halstead League second division.

Winning promotion will see Braintree playing in division one for the first time in a number of years, and the club has plans to run a second ladies team next season.

Anyone interested in playing tennis (men welcome too!) should contact either Sue Spinks on 01376 322030, or Philip Welch on 01376 324478.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.