Union fail to hammer home the advantage in draw with Filey
Halifax-Huddersfield Union's senior side were unable to convert a dominant foursomes performance into overall victory as they began their Yorkshire Inter-District Union League season with an 18-18 draw against East Riding at Filey on Sunday.
They took themselves to the brink of triumph when they augmented their 8-4 lunchtime lead by winning five of the first eight singles, but, requiring just a half from one of the four final singles, they lost them all.
The last two matches were only settled on the final green and team manager Frank Greaves tried to assuage the feeling of dissatisfaction with a message sent to his players' WhatsApp group later that evening.
“A great day although I'm sure we feel a little frustrated at not getting over the line,” he wrote. “Remember, they were the champions in 2021 and runners-up last year.
“In addition we won the title in 2019 with a halved match at Ilkley when we won the last four matches on the course (and five wins). It's what champions do. Onwards, upwards and more determined.”
There were several positives to add to the match point acquired at Filey for Greaves ahead of the team's second assignment, a home fixture with Harrogate at Meltham on June 11, starting with the fact that they had bowed to East Riding 21-15 at home as recently as their final match of 2022.
Also, four of the 12 players enjoyed perfect days at Filey; Halifax Bradley Hall's Sam Bridges, Adam Walker and James Skirrow (both
Huddersfield) and Crosland Heath's George Hanson.
Skirrow won both of his matches, including in the morning with Bridges, by 7&6, still known in golf as a dog's licence even though the expression dates back to predecimal days when that was the cost in shillings and pence of the pet permit.
Hanson did not have to exert himself too much more as both his victories, starting in the foursomes alongside Huddersfield's Richard Broadley, were by 6&5.
Crow Nest Park's James Edwards was Walker's partner for foursomes glory in the top match, brothers
Adam and Lee Rowbotham (Saddleworth) reaped two points from the penultimate morning match, and Bridges's clubmate Josh Bailes was the other singles victor for the visitors.