Golf: Union side let lead slip in tie

Jun 19 2009 by Mel Booth, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A DISASTROUS run in the singles saw Halifax, Huddersfield slip from a position of strength to draw 18-18 with East Riding in their Yorkshire Inter-Union League match at Fixby.

A home victory looked a more likelier outcome after Chris Mear’s men held a 9-3 lead from the foursomes, turning some matches round after trailing, then when Richard Broadley and Andy Shaw captured the top two singles.

But then the rot set in and the next six matches produced a solitary point from Iain Powell’s halved match, though the Hebden Bridge man had stood five up before running into trouble late on.

“We put ourselves in a good position then failed to deliver,” said team manager Mear.

“I thought we were in a winning position after the top two singles and Iain Powell was well ahead.”

Brad Tupman and Dan Stocchero secured winning points to steer the team into a lead only for East Riding to take the last two matches to tie.

All four singles wins achieved by Halifax, Huddersfield were by Fixby players, who also recorded two foursomes wins.

Foursomes: R Broadley & A Shaw bt M Helyard & M Killen 2&1; I Powell & J Fairhurst lost to P Lockwood & M Daley 5&3; G McLean & C Ingham halved with A Wright & J Sloan; S Bridges & F Greaves bt R Webster & L Nicholls 2 holes; B Tupman & D Stocchero bt A Lockwood & D Woodhead 2 holes; B Crowther & D Stafford bt L Adamson & M Bentley 3&2.

Singles: Broadley (Huddersfield) bt Helyard (Hessle) 3&2; Shaw (Huddersfield) bt Killlen (Cottingham) 2&1; Fairhurst (Huddersfield) lost to P Lockwood 3&2; Powell (Hebden Bridge) halved with Daley (Hainsworth Park); Bridges (West End) lost to Wright (Hessle) 3&2; McLean (Meltham) lost to Sloan (Brough) 2&1; Ingham (West End) lost to Nicholls (Ganton) 1 hole; Greaves (West End) lost to Webster (Bridlington) 5&4; Tupman (Huddersfield) bt Woodshead (Hessle) 5&3; Stocchero (Huddersfield) bt A Lockwood (Hessle) 2&1; Stafford (Todmorden) lost to Adamson (Ganton) 1 hole; Crowther (Dewsbury) lost to Bentley (Ganton) 3&2.