This, the first match in the Northern Counties League, was played at Stoney Holm Golf Course, Carlisle, on Sunday 18 May in lovely warm spring sunshine. The South Juniors suffered a heavy defeat by 7½ games to 4½. In the morning foursomes the South got off to a bad start losing the first two games but the last two pairings played better to record a win and a halved game. Although losing by 2½ points to 1½ points the South Juniors were confident they could win the afternoon singles. But it was not to be. The two Under 16 year olds, Ross Whyte and Graeme Hoodless, set off first and both won their games. A good start but the more experienced middle order suffered heavy defeats mainly due to bad course management and some bad luck on the short tight course with narrow fairways. Only the anchorman, Chris Shearman, played steadily to show how it should be done.
Results
Morning Foursomes
Ross White (D & G) and Graeme Hoodless (Newton Stewart) lost to Archie Davies and Nick Sowerby by 3 & 2
Chris Finnie (Lockerbie) and Conor Harkness (D & G) lost to Chris Kendle and Luke Walker by 2 & 1
Robert Hughan (Newton Stewart) and Rory Brunton (Portpatrick) beat Andy Wolsterncroft and Will Postlethewaite by 5 & 3
Ryan Johnston (D & C) and Chris Shearman (Lochmaben) halved with Alex Rose and Jake Woof
Foursomes score South 1½ Cumbria 2½
Afternoon Singles
Ross White (D & G) beat Nick Sowerby by 1 hole
Graeme Hoodless (Newton Stewart) beat Archie Davies by 7 and 6
Chris Finnie (Lockerbie) lost to Chris Kendle by 5 & 4
Conor Harkness (D & G) lost to Luke Walker by 5 & 4
Robert Hughan (Newton Stewart) lost to Andy Wolsterncroft by 3 & 2
Rory Brunton (Portpatrick) lost to Will Postlethewaite by 3 & 2
Ryan Johnston (D & C) lost to Jake Woof by 5 & 4
Chris Shearman (Lochmaben) beat Alex Rose by 6 & 5
Singles Score South 3 Cumbria 5
Match Result South 4½ Cumbria 7½
The attached photograph shows the South team after the game. From the left Ross Whyte, Chris Finnie, Graeme Hoodless, Chris Shearman, Robert Hughan, Rory Brunton, Conor Harkness and Ryan Johnston.