The Saints led Haven 8-98 to 7-103 going into the day's final reverse-doubles set between Andrew King-Chris Ellis and Haven's Nathan Budde-Paul Holmes.

In hot conditions on Haven's sticky courts, both pairs lost serve as a see-sawing battle developed for the final set.

Players watched from the sidelines as King and Ellis hit their way to a 9-6 victory.

The win keeps Saints tied with Drung South on 36 points.

Haven will be disappointed with the result, which is the side's fourth close loss this season.

The day's highlights included the Haven women's clean sweep in their doubles, offset by the Saint men's four doubles wins.

St Michael's Jess Cannane bounced back after her round-four, 5-9 loss to Claudine Simmons by defeating Simmons 9-6 on Saturday.

Saint fill-in for Brett Ellis, Ian Nitschke, played in two doubles wins but lost his singles match 5-9 against Paul Constable.

Saints plan to use Nitschke as a useful backup during finals.

Drung South's Rosie Rowe and Central Park's Tracey Hobbs, arguably the competition's leading women players, played their first showdown this season.

Rowe, carrying top form from indoor and pennant tennis, won the match 9-4.

Drung's 10-6 victory was its fifth in a row and kept it nestled in second position as it extended its percentage lead on the Saints.

Kalkee was too strong for Horsham Lawn Bardell, winning 10-6 in its seventh straight victory.

Kalkee's number ones were in tip-top form with Jeff Friberg winning 9-1 against a lacklustre Graeme Wood and Penny Unger scraping over the line in a tiebreaker against Anne Sudholz.