RICHARD BROADLEY did not have to go beyond the 13th green in progressing to the last eight in his defence of the BM Howarth sponsored Halifax, Huddersfield Union Matchplay championship.
The Fixby man dispatched Marsden’s Chris Thewlis 8&7 then advanced by 6&5 against Ben Crowther, the 2005 champion from Dewsbury, at Halifax (Ogden).
He next takes on West End’s Chris Ingham, who won the title 20 years ago, at Ogden next Saturday when the semi-finals will also be played with the final scheduled for the following day.
Other past champions Steve Martin and Paul Taylor bit the dust as did one of the favourites, Andy Shaw.
Shaw, a semi-finalist last season, was given a walkover in the first round then lost out to Chris Rudd.
Martin bowed on the last green to Andy Whitworth as the record 10- times winner marched into the last eight in which he meets Halifax’s Clive Crawshaw.
Taylor succumbed on the 17th at the same stage to Frank Greaves who next has a fascinating date with young West End clubmate Sam Bridges, a second round victor over Union team captain Chris Mear, who had scored a good win against Jared Ellison.
A repeat of last year’s memorable final is a possibility as Broadley and Whitworth are in separate halves of the draw and could end up meeting in the decider.
First round: B Tupman (Huddersfield) lost to R Mathews (Dewsbury) 2 holes; M Lawrie (Crosland Heath) lost to C Crawshaw (Halifax) 8&7; N Scott (Crow Nest Park) lost to S Martin (West End) 3&1; A Whitworth (Bradley Hall) bt A Schnake (Huddersfield) 4&3; S Bridges (West End) bt J Murch (Dewsbury) 2&1; J Ellison (Huddersfield) lost to C Mear (Meltham) 2 holes; F Greaves (West End) bt R Joyce (Huddersfield) 8&7; P Taylor (Bradley Hall) bt L Howell (Willow Valley) 2&1; R Greenwood (West End) bt M Colcombe (Longley Park) 5&4; C Ingham (West End) bt D Crisp (Huddersfield) 6&5; B Crowther (Dewsbury) bt D Stafford (Todmorden) 4&2; R Broadley (Huddersfield) bt C Thewls (Marsden) 8&7; A Shaw (Bradley Hall) w/o B Adamson (Crow Nest Park); J Cain (Dewsbury) lost to C Rudd (Ryburn) 2&1; G McLean (Meltham) bt E Battye (Dewsbury) 2&1; M Cockroft (Bradley Hall) lost to I Marsland (West End) 1 hole.
Second round: Mathews lost to Crawshaw 1 hole; Martin lost to Whitworth 1 hole; Bridges bt Mear 2&1; Greaves bt Taylor 2 holes; Greenwood lost to Ingham 1 hole; Crowther lost to Broadley 6&5; Shaw lost to Rudd 3&2; McLean bt Marsland 4&3.
Third round pairings: Crawshaw v Whitworth; Bridges v Greaves; Ingham v Broadley; Rudd v McLean.
Union Fourball final (sponsored by Kelcol Bedding), at Outlane: 63 - Crosland Heath: S Rowlands & N Baldwin. 64 - Longley Park: M Colcombe & A Walker. 65 - Huddersfield: M Dempsey & P Newey; Crosland Heath: R Morris & M Bostock.
Lawrence Batley OBE Handicap League (sponsored by Bruce Firth) promotion and relegation play-offs at Fixby: Div 4 - Marsden bt Queensbury 5-3 to gain promotion; Longley Park lost 5-3 to Todmorden and were relegated, Todmorden staying up. Div 2 - Bradley Hall bt Meltham in a sudden death encounter to stay up, Meltham relegated.
Junior League final (sponsored by Direct Golf UK) at Ogden: Willow Valley bt Meltham 6-2 to clinch title.
