THE Halifax, Huddersfield Union team made a flying start to this year’s Inter-District League when they slammed Bradford 29-7 in their opening fixture at Outlane.
Jamie Bower and partner Aaron Schnacke and Richard Broadley and his partner Andy Shaw set the Halifax, Huddersfield side on the winning track right from the start, confidently winning their morning foursomes, and from that point the home team never looked back.
Bower and Schnacke overcame former home Union player Terry Brushwood and Chris Benn 5&4, while Broadley and Shaw romped to a 6&5 win over Oliver and Patrick Young to put the first four points on the board.
Nick Marsh and Matt Colcombe bagged another point with a half and Mark Birkett and Adam Cryer snatched a one-hole win to complete a satisfactory morning’s work and a 7-5 lead.
Any hopes Bradford had of making an afternoon comeback were soon squashed when Bower again led from the front with a first-up 2&1 win over Cleckheaton’s Nigel Colbeck, while Marsh finished 1 up against Bradford’s Matthew Atter.
And the Singles rapidly developed into a procession of Halifax-Huddersfield victories as manager Chris Mear’s side won all but one of the matches, Todmorden’s Dave Stafford the unlucky man to miss out after a 2&1 defeat to Bingley St Ives’ Mark Evans.
Ogden’s Birkett had a massive 8&6 runaway win, while West End’s Steve Martin was a 6&5 winner and Schnacke was equally emphatic in beating Brushwood 5&4.
Halifax-Huddersfield’s next contest is against the East Riding at Hornsea, on June 10, while the Juniors take on York at Crosland Heath next Sunday, hoping to get their season off the mark.
Foursomes: (Huddersfield names first): Jamie Bower & Aaron Schnacke bt Terry Brushwood & Chris Benn 5&4; Nick Marsh & Matthew Colcombe halved with Nigel Colbeck & Jamie Mountain; Richard Broadley & Andy Shaw bt Oliver and Patrick Young 6&5; Steve Martin & David Stafford lost to Matthew Atter & Andy Fitzpatrick 3&1; Mark Birkett & Adam Cryer bt Will Whiteoak & Calum Hey 1up; Andy Wilford & Brad Tupman lost to Ben Mountain & Mark Evans 2&1.
Score: Halifax, Huddersfield 7 Bradford 5
Singles: Bower (Meltham) bt Colbeck (Cleckheaton) 2&1; Marsh (Huddersfield) bt Atter (Bradford) 1up; Schnacke (Huddersfield) bt Brushwood (Bingley St Ives) 5&4; Broadley (Huddersfield) bt Young (Bingley St Ives) 4&3; Colcombe (Longley Park) bt Mountain (Bradford) 3&2; Martin (West End) bt Whiteoak (Bingley St Ives) 6&5; Shaw (Bradley Hall) bt Benn (South Bradford) 4&3; Cryer (Woodsome Hall) bt Young (Hollins Hall) 2&1; Stafford (Todmorden) lost to Evans (Bingley St Ives) 2&1; Birkett (Halifax) bt Fitzpatrick (Keighley) 8&6; Wilford (Huddersfield) bt Hey (Keighley) 1up; Tupman (Huddersfield) bt Mountain (Hllins Hall) 2&1.
Score: Halifax, Huddersfield 22 Bradford 2
Total: Halifax, Huddersfield 29 Bradford 7.
