HAVING been forced to call off the home match against Woodbury, due to heavy rain, Okehampton Men`s B tennis team faced their two toughest away games of the season short of match practice.

Against league leaders Tiverton, Mark Gibbs and John Jarvis quickly found themselves 3-0 down against the number one pair and lost the first set 6-3. They re-discovered their form to take the second set 6-3 but couldn`t maintain this in the tie-break decider which they lost 10-4. Fortunately Stuart Jarvis and Julian Mesling started confidently and secured a 6-3, 6-2 victory over the second pairing. They found the consistency of the other pair too strong to handle and lost this one 6-3, 6-3. Mark and John looked in trouble dropping the first set of the second rubber 3-6 but came back determinedly to win the second set 6-1and a nervy tie-break 10-7. Overall the 5-5 draw was a fair reflection of the play.

Later in the week Okehampton travelled to league championship favourites Teignmouth. The away team number one pairing played virtually faultless tennis and beat both the Okehampton pairing s 6-0, 6-0. This defeat shattered the confidence of Stuart Jarvis and John Radnor who also suffered a heavy defeat to the second pairing.

Mark Gibbs and John Jarvis managed to salvage two points with a comprehensive 6-0, 6-1 victory in their other match.

Okehampton B lost their unbeaten record but still remain third in the league and hope to return to winning ways away to Tunnels B today (June 4).