The Halifax-Huddersfield tea, began their Yorkshire Inter-district Union League fixtures with a narrow win against the East Riding at a breezy Meltham.

The Halifax Huddersfield men ground out a 20-16 victory - but not without a few scares and an impressive finish.

The new management team of last year’s president Dave Pullen and his team of Brad Tupman (Union Matchplay Champion), Graham McLean and Frank Greaves were certainly looking forward to the season ahead - particularly with several high profile golfers returning to the fold to add to the raw talent that exists.

The morning foursomes were shared six apiece with both sides showing some fight. Matthew Colcombe and Jamie Smith recording the first victory winning six of the seven holes from the 10th to turn round their match 3&2.

Brad Tupman and Aaron Schnacke took three of the last four holes to win 1up and Ben Adamson and Dan Hartley blew away their opponents.

Richard Broadley and Andy Shaw, with over 130 caps between them, lost their early lead and the match by one hole after falling foul of a difficult pin position on the last.

The pairings of Chris Lander and Mark Birkett and Graham McLean and James Skirrow never quite gelled and both matches were lost.

Temperatures rose for the afternoon but the wind persisted, drying out the greens and making some pin positions difficult.

Matthew Colcombe knocked it through the first green and he continued to hit the ball imperiously, but could never quite shake off his opponent, so it was Aaron Schnacke who brought home the first points of the afternoon winning 2&1.

Colcombe followed with a half and Jamie Smith dominated his game, nearly holing his tee shot at the short 12th.

When new grandad Graham McLean holed a 25-footer for a birdie at the second for a half, the writing was on the wall for his opponent, McLean had four further birdies - including a 35-foot putt at 12th - for victory in his 87th Union appearance for the Union.

Brad Tupman set off like a train with two birdies, and in the end halved his match.

By now HHDUGC were up in seven of the first eight matches, but East Riding aren’t past champions for nothing.

Andy Lockwood was behind for most of his match, but turned it round to beat Ben Adamson, then James Woodhead beat Chris Lander. Mark Birkett overwhelmed his opponent to get Halifax/Huddersfield close to the line.

An audacious birdie at the last from Richard Broadley against East Riding’s Team Manager Andy Woodhead clinched the victory, with further halves from Dan Hartley and James Skirrow adding the points tally.

Overall it was a satisfying day in testing conditions which produced some magical golf. A victory under the belt, it’s on to Ripon on June 14 to face Harrogate.

Shipley’s Will Whiteoak topped a tightly-packed leaderboard at Clitheroe to lead 30 qualifiers for the Brabazon Trophy.

The 21-year-old from Shipley shot three-under par 68 to win the northern qualifying event, supported by Your Golf Travel, and confirm his place in the Brabazon, which will be played at Notts Golf Club (Hollinwell) from June 24 to 27.

“It was a good effort and it’s good to get it over and to be 100 per cent through to Hollinwell,” said Whiteoak, who won the North of England Youths’ title last year and the Welsh Youths’ in 2013. Huddersfield’s Josh Morton was 48th on five over par.