TEESSIDE provided the opposition for both Halifax, Huddersfield Union’s Senior and Junior sides in their latest Inter-District outings – with mixed fortunes.

The Seniors pulled off a great 25-11 victory at Halifax, but the Juniors went down 22-14 at Oak Leaf Golf Club to the home side, who sealed the Inter-District Union championship.

The Seniors played the Blue course at Ogden, which benefited the Halifax, Huddersfield side as Teesside included five juniors who had played the home juniors 48 hours earlier.

Matt Colcombe and home club debutant Clive Crawshaw set Halifax, Huddersfield on the road to victory right from the start as they wrapped up a convincing 6&5 win first up in the morning Foursomes, and with Steve Martin and Chris Ingham, Mark Birkett and another Ogden debutant Chris Lander, plus Dave Stafford and Michael Murphy all collecting wins, the visitors found themselves adrift at lunchtime as they trailed their hosts 9-3.

Aaron Schnacke and Adam Cryer typified Halifax, Huddersfield’s professional approach when they fought back from four down after 12 to halve their match on the 18th.

And there was no respite for the visitors in the afternoon Singles, as lead-off man Colcombe opened up with a 3 & 2 victory over Hartlepool’s David Innes – despite some indifferent putting – and that started a sequence of five successive home wins to take the match way out of Teesside’s reach.

Seven outright victories and halves for Lander, who played some excellent golf on his debut, and Andy Wilford who battled hard all the way after losing the 17th to get up and down from behind the 18th for another half, ensured a 16-8 win a third successive victory for Halifax, Huddersfield.

There was a surprising defeat for Order of Merit leader Schnacke, which enabled Stafford to close the gap on him to just two points with one match remaining.

Manager Chris Mear takes his team to Dore & Totley next Sunday to tackle the Sheffield Union as they aim to consolidate third place in the League table.

Foursomes: (Halifax, Hudds names first): Matthew Colcombe & Clive Crawshaw bt David Innes & Neil Hunter-Smith 6&5; Steve Martin & Chris Ingham bt Simon Calvert & Joe Cowper 3&2; Aaron Schnacke & Adam Cryer halved with Lloyd Bond & Jamie Austwick; Mark Birkett & Chris Lander bt Andy Gray & Jackson Kneeshaw 3&2; Dave Stafford & Michael Murphy bt Luke Nixon & Sam Millington 1up; Andy Wilford & Brad Tupman lost to Will Gallafant & Aman Dhillon 2 & 1.

Halifax, Huddersfield 9 Teesside 3.

Singles: Colcombe (Longley Park) bt Innes (Hartlepool) 3&2; Martin (West End) bt Bond (Hartlepool) 2&1; Cryer (Woodsome Hall) bt Calvert (Darlington) 2&1; Ingham (West End) bt Hunter-Smith 1up; Crawshaw (Halifax) bt Gray (Cleveland) 2&1; Birkett (Halifax) lost to Cowper (Darlington) 2&1; Lander (Halifax) halved with Kneeshaw (Oak Leaf); Schnacke (Huddersfield) lost to Millington (Cleveland) 2&1; Stafford (West End) bt Nixon (Wilton) 2&1; Murray (Todmorden) lost to Austwick (Hartlepool) 4&3; Wilford (Huddersfield) halved with Dhillon (Wynyard); Tupman (Huddersfield) bt Gallafant (Eaglescliffe) 1up.

Halifax, Huddersfield 16 Teesside 8.

Overall score: Halifax, Huddersfield 25 Teesside 11.