League News

NGL Hollingsworth Trophy

Staverton Park confirmed their place in the last four of the Hollingsworth Trophy with a perfect winning record as they defeated Daventry 3-2 at home in their last Group A outing.

Barry Harding and Giorgio Forgione (3&2) and Joshua Morris and Andy Sant (6&5) gave Staverton the ideal start, before the visitors replied with a 2&1 win.

Although both the remaining matches went the distance, the hosts sealed top spot thanks to a narrow victory for Bill Marks and Greg Young.

Farthingstone secured their semi-final spot with an excellent 4-1 home success in a winner-takes-all Group C clash with Whittlebury Park.

The visitors collected the first point, but Farthingstone responded in a positive fashion through David Summerfield and Simon Nightingale (3&2) and Bradley Wardell and Adrian Miller (5&4).

Darren Matthews and Karl Leason confirmed the home triumph with a 2&1 win, before Ian Donald and Barry Jones capped a fine result with another victory on the 18th hole.

Peterborough Milton B took a big step towards qualifying for the knockout stages as they became the first team to beat Collingtree Park with a 3-2 home victory in Group D.

Matt Barber and Robert Fredericks (5&4) and Steve Dickinson and David Fear (6&5) set the tone for Milton, but Trevor Twelftree and Jody Parfitt kept the match alive with an equally comfortable away win.

Martin Humphries and Dominic Ralfs secured the victory for Peterborough on the closing hole, before Scott O’Connor and Simon Purkiss added a potentially crucial fourth point with a 4&2 success.

NGL Handicap League

Hellidon Lakes bagged their second victory of the Handicap League season with a comprehensive 29-0 home success against Delapre, who were also whitewashed in their previous Group A outing at Staverton Park.

Gary Osborne and Darren Welsh (seven holes), Martyn Bannister and Roy Trim (three holes), Jon Barrett and Brian Jones (nine holes) and Ludlow Johnson and David Tatton (10 holes) earned the home win.

Northants County had few problems at home to Kettering as they recorded a comfortable victory in Group B.

Lee Ault and Darren Cooke (seven holes), Andy Cox and Mark Macmain (four holes), Ben Coyne and David Aveyard (five holes), Neil Taylor and William Knibbs (four holes) and Ian Tarry and Mervin Bateman (five holes) were successful for the hosts.

Kingsthorpe began their Group C campaign with a victory in as they recorded a 13-4 home success against Brampton Heath, who have now lost both their matches this season.

Rushden made it two wins in two matches as they collected the first away victory by any team in Group D with a 14-7 success at Cold Ashby.

Kane Attley and Marc Benzie (four holes), Scott Manning and Ian Blakeley (two holes) and Stuart Emms and Martin Pickering (two holes) gave the visitors the early momentum.

Although the hosts took the lead with a couple of wins, Rushden emphasised their qualities as Ryan Statham and Dave Bailey sealed the victory with a six-hole success in the final tie.

In the same section, Collingtree Park proved too strong for Overstone Park as Joe Johnson and Shaun Walpole (three holes) and Pete Bulliman and David Combes (six holes) impressed in a 10-6 home win.

Ladies Cecil Leitch League

Kettering showed their battling qualities away to Northampton as they completed an exceptional 4-1 victory in Group B of the Ladies Cecil Leitch League.

Although Sarah Pattison and Amanda Campbell were both successful with holes to spare, it was the narrow away wins from Eve Wilkins and Andrea Whitlam that proved decisive in the positive result.

Oundle maintained their perfect run in Group C as they defeated Cold Ashby 4-1 at home, thanks to big wins from Claire Izod (5&3), Carla Fogarty (3&2) and Karen Johnson (7&5), plus a slender victory from Elizabeth Swan.

Northants County earned bragging rights over neighbours Brampton Heath with a 4-1 home success in Group D.

County’s Sarah Huddy and Michelle Smith recorded 4&3 wins, while Sue McRae and Saliann Miles both came good with two holes to spare. Jane Rowe had the pleasure of recording the best win as she triumphed 5&4 for the visitors.