The Teignbridge tennis team were in the medals once again at the annual Devon Games, held this year at the Tarka Tennis Centre, Barnstable.

It was a particularly tough format this year with only the winner of three groups of three teams going on to compete in a group to contest the gold, silver, bronze medal placings.

The pressure was on from the start for Teignbridges Oliver Robinson, Jack Wride, Oliver Stradling, Steffi Marks, Sophie Reed, and Ellie Dixey as they found themselves in arguably the toughest group, with West Devon and Torbay.

Group two was made up of favourites Plymouth, Torridge and South Hams, and the final group was Exeter, North Devon and Mid-Devon.

Each match consisted of five 11-minute tie-breaks. Robinson, Wride, Marks, and Reed competed in singles matches while Stradling and Dixey made up a mixed doubles pairing.

Teignbridge came through a nervous start against West Devon to record a 3-2 win, with Marks, Reed, and Stradling and Dixey recorded the all important wins 19-5, 15-8, and 8-6 respectively.

With Torbay also defeating West Devon Teignbridge knew they had to beat the much-fancied Torbay side to gain a medal position.

They made a poor start, with Robinson falling to a 15-11 defeat at the hands of Oliver Slocombe. This meant Teignbridge had to win three of the remaining four matches to progress.

Marks they lost to Maddidon Ede 9-8, but fortunately for her, her team-mates were able to pull off a remarkable comeback as Wride (11-5), Reed (10-8), and Stradling and Dixey (10-4) got the required victories that sent them into the medal play-offs, where they were joined by North Devon and Plymouth.

Plymouth took gold by beating North Devon 5-0 and Teignbridge 4-1, although Wride produced a super performance to defeat Sam Raymond 17-8 the only match Plymouth lost during the competition.

So it was head to head for the silver between North Devon and Teignbridge and it proved to be the tightest match of the day.

The boys singles went the way of one win apiece Robinson produced his best performance of the day but it was not quite enough to beat the strong Ryan Marsterson (12-7). Wride levelled things with a 17-5 victory over George Frankland.

North Devon went 2-1 ahead as Steffi Marks found the going tough against the much older Bethany Nash (14-5) which meant Teignbridge needed both the last singles and the mixed doubles to take silver away from the Tarka Tennis Centre-based side.

It could not have been closer as Teignbridges Stradling and Dixey tied at 10-10 and, at the same time, Reed won the final point to also tie her match 11-11.

This meant that both matches had to play a deciding point to determine a winner. Stradling and Dixey kept their nerve as they out rallied opponents Sean Farr and Holly Moster.

Reed still needed to win her point to take the silver medal for her side. What looked like a super first serve ace was cruelly ruled out by a call of long. Reed was unable to regain her composure and a tired second serve flopped into the net to give the win to Jodie Quick and leave Teignbridge the bronze medal.

Said delighted Teignbridge team manager Robert Elver: The team did really well. I did not expect us to beat Torbay, but we did, which guaranteed the players a medal.

Steffi and Oliver are two years younger than most of the other competitors so they did particularly well.

It is another accolade for the successful junior section at Dawlish Lawn Tennis Club, which is where all six youngsters are coached and trained.

Anyone interested in joining should contact club secretary Brian Elver on 01626 774977.