Stoke Rochford GC seniors fightback to preserve unbeaten record

However, the hosts’ last three pairs saved the day with wins to halve the match.

Scores: Jim Price/Mike Dickinson lost 5 and 3, Brian Keightley/Ray Beal lost 1-down, Brian Ayto/Mike Graves won 6 and 5, Tim Haward/Graham Manton lost 2-down, Ray Elsome/Mike Nixon lost 3 and 2, Greg Ewart/John Batty won 1-up, Ken Taylor/Roger Green won 5 and 4, Don Werner/Phil White won 2 and 1.

* Stoke’s seniors again narrowly missed recording their first away win since last September when they were beaten by four-and-a-half to three-and-a-half by Stanton-on-the-Wolds.

Scores: Jim Price/Brian White won 5 and 4, Graham Manton/Alan Jessop lost 3 and 2, David Hamilton/Greg Ewart lost 2 and 1, Ken Taylor/Eddie Plant won 4 and 2, Phil White/Ernie Armstrong halved, Steven Major/Mike Nixon lost 5 and 4, Barry Coop/Brian Keightley lost 2 and 1, Trevor Harvey/Glyn Staines won 6 and 4.

* The seniors played their annual charity event in memory of the late Dick Bagshaw with proceeds of £440 going to the Prostate Cancer Charity.

Eddie Plant topped a field of 46 players to win with 37 points on countback from Brian Ayto.

* On a very wet morning, only 16 golfers turned out for the fifth round of the annual Seniors Trophy competition.

Alan Marsh, on his first appearance with the seniors, made an immediate impact by top scoring with 36 points from Steven Major (35) and Adrian Stannard with 34.

With one round remaining, and the aggregate of best three rounds of six to count, the overall standings were hardly affected.

Phil Hewes was unable to improve his three-round aggregate, but remains the leader with 113 points.

Tom Keegan leads the chasing pack with 110, while Mick Rance and Alex Whitelaw did not play and remain on 108, and they were joined on this number by Brian White and Dave Wilkins who both improved their totals.