HOLCOMBE Brook Sports Club look to defy the odds once more tomorrow when they take on defending champions Edgbaston Priory in the National Club League Ladies Tennis Final.

That the local team, winners of the inaugural 1993 competition, are in the showdown at the Esporta Club, Croydon, at all is a sensation in itself.

But two battling displays shot them into contention after the first week then last weekend they followed up with three more hard-earned triumphs that fired them to the top of their qualifying section.

On Saturday the four woman team faced their toughest opponents so far when they entertained the Globe club from London.

Due to the weather, the fixture was played at Matchpoint Bramhall and things looked grim for the Longsight Road club when Abigail Tordoff lost 6-1 in the first set to world ranked Slovenian Tina Krizan.

Undaunted Tordoff went on to play the game of her life and, roared on by the travelling supporters, stormed back to take the next two sets 6-2, 6-3.

Next on was Julia Lutrova who faced highly-rated Helen Crook and despite a back injury she too triumphed, 7-6, 6-4. Alison Smith kept the momentum going with a 6-4, 7-6 victory over Vicky Davies then 16-year-old Gail Atherton, the Lancashire champion, finished off highly-rated Jenni Osman 6-4, 6-3 to round off an incredible performance from the local girls.

But the drama hadn't finished; Tordoff and Atherton defeated the top British women's doubles pairing of Crook and Davies (who had won 75 consecutive doubles matches prior to last year's Wimbledon) 7-5, 6-4 then sensationally Smith and Lutrova wiped the floor with Krizan and Osman to complete a 6-0 whitewash.

After giving their all on Saturday, Sunday's 4-2 victory over a weaker Gosling team was something of an anti-climax but set the team up for the trip to Brentwood, London, for Monday's final clash against Clearview.

After winning all four singles matches they conceded the first doubles as Tordoff, Smith and Lutrova were all carrying slight injuries.

Nevertheless, Holcombe's Sue Warrington came into the team to partner Gail Atherton and they recorded a useful 6-3, 6-3 victory to seal the match 5-1.

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