TENNIS: Cholsey took a major step towards winning Men's Division 1 in the OLTA Wilson 3-Pair League this week.

They triumphed 6.5-2.5 at Abingdon while rivals Banbury were being held to a 4.5-4.5 draw at home to North Oxford A.

Jon Merrifield and Tom Greenland were in unstoppable form for Cholsey, comfortably winning all of their sets, while second pair Richard May and Tim Paton dropped just one.

Banbury had led the table previously, but North Oxford came with a strong team and the match proved a titanic tussle.

North's Rob Loosemore and Robin Ashby won their opening two rubbers but Banbury's Ade Shola and Godwin Abah fought back to beat them 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Colin Lynes and Mat Hunter also recorded a fine comeback win for Banbury in the battle of the second pairs, beating Jack Rooney and Richard Brailsford 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.

But third pair Paul Wood and Mark Leslie's 6-2, 5-7, 6-0 win over David Roberts and Darren Simpson ensured North Oxford returned home with a point.

Woodstock A's hopes of their first point of the season were dashed when they went down 5-4 at home to Thame A. Nigel King and Douglas Struthers were unbeaten for Thame.

In Ladies Division 1, Oxford Sports kept up their slim hopes of catching North Oxford A with an 8-1 thrashing of North Oxford B.

Beth and Alex Simmons dropped only five games as they swept through their six sets with ease.

Wantage suffered a blow to their Ladies Division 1 title hopes in the 2-Pair League when they crashed to only their second defeat.

They lost 3.5-0.5 at home to Faringdon, leaving Cholsey and Portcullis better placed at the top. Susanna Hunt and Juliana Spiers were unbeaten for Faringdon.

RESULTS 3-PAIR Ladies Div 1: North Ox B 1, Ox Sports 8.

Men's Div 1: Woodstock 4, Thame 5. Div 2: North Oxford C 6, Woodstock B 3; North Oxford D 0.5, North Oxford B 8.5. Div 3: Wychwood 7.5, Ox Sports C 1.5; Witney B 8.5, Banbury C 0.5.

2-PAIR Ladies Div 1: Wantage A 0.5, Faringdon 3.5; Wantage B 1.5, Banbury West End 2.5.

Div 2: Mapledurham 3.5, Benson 0.5; Ox Sports 2, Abingdon 2. Div 3: Charlbury 2.5, Mapledurham B 1.5; Faringdon B 3.5, Banbury B 0.5; Cholsey B 0.5, Ox City 3.5. Div 4: Abingdon B 3, Northam Gardens 1; Mapledurham C 1, Southfield 3. Div 5: Southfield B 3, Deddington 1. Div 6: Appleton 3, Blewbury 1; Shiplake 4, Thame B 0; Oxford Sports B 1.5, Abingdon C 2.5. Div 7: Hambleden 3.5, K Bagpuize B 0.5; K Bagpuize C 4, Goring C 0.

Men's Div 4: Esporta B 2.5, Mapledurham 1.5. Div 8: Goring B 4, Charlbury B 0; Bicester D 3, Mapledurham C 1.

Mixed Div 3: Bicester B 0, Abingdon B 4.