A RAIN-HIT start to the 2014 Fulford Ladies Invitational Tennis League season meant that less than half of the scheduled matches went ahead.

A repeat of last season’s opening fixture in division one saw Rachel Hill and Sue Jacklin lead Castlegarth 1 to a 62-46 victory over Poppleton 1.

Solid starts from the experienced David Lloyd and York 2 teams saw both achieve 60-48 wins against newly-promoted Boston Spa and Pocklington respectively.

Dunnington 2 and Castlegarth 2, last season’s third and fourth placed teams, met in division two, with Debbie Vines and Lucy Wright bagging 25 games to guide the Wetherby team home.

Fulford 1 opened their campaign with a resounding victory over their second team. Jo Middleton paired up with league newcomer Sophie Ramsbottom to rack up 34 games in the 87-21 victory.

Rowntree Park edged out Boston Spa 2 56–52 in the only match to go ahead in division three.

In division five, Copmanthorpe 2 had a comfortable win against Copmanthorpe 3, with all three pairs scoring over 20 games.

Louise Smith and Anna Airaksinen clinched 32 games in Bubwith’s victory over Sheriff Hutton in division six, while a strong team performance saw Poppleton 3 take the spoils against Dunnington 4.