IT was a case of so near yet so far for Holcombe Brook Sports Club ladies tennis team when they appeared in the finals of the KIA National Clubs League at the weekend.
The Longsight Road side were beaten 4-2 by holders Edgbaston Priory of Warwickshire in the Sunday's showdown at the West Hants Club, Bournemouth.
It was a brave effort from the local side who are sponsored by Thompson Jones Financial Services and Rayson Wilshaw Estate Agents.
They breezed through the qualifying section earlier in the summer after finishing unbeaten and top of the northern section above teams from Rawdon, Tennis World, Northumberland, Queen's Halifax, Manchester Northern and Huddersfield.
In the quarter finals they defeated Halton 4-2 then saw off the challenge of Bath University by the same score in the semis.
The club's mens' team also qualified for the prestigious finals but went down 4-2 to eventual winners Caesarean of Jersey at the quarter-final stage.
The Channel Islanders defeated Sutton Tennis & Squash Club by a 2-1 tie-break shootout in the final after finishing level at 3-3.
Mr I. S. Lee, president of Kia Motors UK and Annabel Croft, spokesperson for the Kia National Clubs' League are pictured presented the runners-up trophy to team captain Tony Lawson and the successful squad.
Brook ladies go so close in nationals
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