AFTER their opening victory over champions Harrogate, Halifax-Huddersfield were brought back to earth as they lost to East Riding 20-16 in their Yorkshire Inter-Union Golf Junior League match at West End.

"We knew that it was going to be tough to beat a team that had five Yorkshire Under 16 players in their ranks, but we thought we could do it," commented team chief Frank Greaves..

"A draw could have been squeezed with two games still on the course but it seemed to be an uphill struggle all day. In the matches we were up in it was a slender advantage and when we were down, we were well down."

The morning foursomes never seemed as close as the 7–5 scoreline suggested with James Thompson and Sam Bridges down for most of the round but winning three holes near the end to turn their match around.

The pairings of Ryan Greenwood and Tom Hill and Adam Cryer and Lloyd Cramp were never in the hunt, both being soundly beaten. Daniel Crisp and Matthew Colcombe got a deserved half but had chances to win near the end but putted poorly.

The singles were evenly matched with the points shared in the first seven matches.

Thompson was up against it from the start as 15-year-old one handicapper Michael Helyard raced into an early lead that the Meltham player could not overcome, while Bridges continued his hot form and was never behind and now leads the Selbie Opticians-sponsored order of merit.

Tom Hill battled to the last but was always chasing his game, Ryan Greenwood played solidly to claim a good scalp. having been down early on, and Daniel Crisp always seemed in control of his match.

Matthew Colcombe struggled against David Woodhead for both length and accuracy, eventually losing on the 16th. Lloyd Cramp had a good game against England coached-Paul Lockwood and won the last to get a deserved half, having been ahead for most of the round.

"From then on it was going to be a real effort to get the points to win the match," said Greaves.

Alex Battye and Ryan Higginbottom were in control of their games, Battye winning at the 16th and Higginbottom seeing a tricky downhill putt from his opponent holed at the last to deprive him of a second singles victory, but in the last three matches Ben Ellis, Adam Cryer and Tom Jenkinson were all well down with only Tom able to get anything from his game by making a fantastic birdie at the last to rapturous applause from players and officials around the green.

Foursomes: J Thompson & S Bridges bt L Adamson & D Woodhead 2 holes; R Greenwood & T Hill lost to M Helyard & M Killeen 8&6; L Cramp & A Cryer lost to L Nicholls & P Golbank 4&3; B Ellis & A Battye lost to P Wright & P Lockwood 3&2; D Crisp & M Colcombe halved with J Coughlin & M Daley; R Higginbottom & T Jenkinson bt M Ombler & T Garnett 3&2.

Singles: Thompson (Meltham) lost to Helyard (Beverley & ER) 3&2; Bridges (West End) bt Adamson (ganton) 5&4; Hill (Hanging Heaton) lost to Coughlin (Bridlington) 1 hole; Greenwood (West End) bt Daley (Hainsworth Park) 2&1; Crisp (Huddersfield) bt Nicholls (Ganton) 4&2; Colcombe (Longley Park) lost to Woodhead (Brough) 3&2; Cramp (West End) halved with Lockwood (Hessle); Battye (Meltham) bt Wright (Driffield) 3&2; Higginbottom (Crosland Heath) halved with Ombler (Ganstead Park); Ellis (Meltham) lost to Killeen (Cottingham) 4&3; Jenkinson (Woodsome Hall) halved with Golbank (Filey); Cryer (Hebden Bridge) lost to Garnett (Cottingham) 5&4.