YORKSHIRE had a thrilling finish to tie 9-9 with Lancashire in their Northern Counties League encounter at Fixby and though it was a home point dropped, county captain Andy King remains confident about his side’s prospects.

After trailing 4-2 from the foursomes then going 6-2 behind, Yorkshire battled to edge the singles 7-5 to tie and King said: “It puts us in good heart for going to Penrith on May 29 for our next match against champions Cumbria who lost 10.5 – 7.5 to Cheshire. And on that day Lancashire, another major rival, will be without six top players because of England duty.”

Yorkshire lacked injured pair Nigel Sweet, the county champion, and James Smedley, their lowest handicap man, for a duel with a side that had Walker Cup man Tommy Fleetwood and England internationals Matt Nixon, James Robinson and Jack Senior on duty.

Notable efforts as Yorkshire hit back in the singles came from League debutant Paul Lockwood, ex-Fixby man Peter Fenton, on his first league appearance in ten years, 15-year-old Matthew Fitzpatrick, Yorkshire’s youngest ever player, David Appleyard, who forced a great half against Fleetwood, Richard Law and Chris Halley.

Foursomes (Yorkshire names first): J Maw (Hallowes) & D Wasteney (Bondhay) lost to J Robinson & J Senior 7&5; S Campbell (Hallowes) & M Fitzpatrick (Hallamshire) bt M Young & I Kenwright 3&2; A Best (Saltburn) & D Appleyard (South Leeds) bt T Fleetwood & J Wilson 1 hole; P Fenton (Cleckheaton) & P Lockwood (Hessle) lost to M Nixon & J Hurst 3&2; R Law (Low Laithes) & C Halley (Malton & Norton) lost to A Andrews & C Dean 1 hole; M Brown (Pike Hills) & L O’Neill (Keighley) lost to J Carroll & M Hearn 6&4.

Singles: Campbell lost to Young 4&3; Maw lost to Robinson 5&4; Best halved with Senior; Wasteney bt Kenwright 2&1; Appleyard halved with Fleetwood; Fitzpatrick bt Wilson 2&1; Lockwood bt Nixon 5&4; Fenton bt Dean 5&4; O’Neill lost to Andrews 2&1; Law bt Hurst 2&1; Halley bt Hearn 2 holes; Brown lost to Carroll 4&3.