The Junior team crossed the Pennines for the second time in a week, this time to play Durham Juniors on Friday 27 July at Tyneside Golf Club. The day was warm but overcast with the threat of thunderstorms all day.

The tree lined course was undulating with bone hard fairways and greens, a challenge the South boys were getting used to this summer.

In the morning foursomes Kaleb Johnston (Portpatrick) and David Sharp (D&C) got off to a bad start by losing the first two holes. They were five down after seven as their opponents sunk putts from all over the green but rallied to still be five down after twelve before losing by 4 &3. Jamie Marchbank and Finlay Copland (both D&G) put up a great fight in their game. Two up after seven holes after winning three in a row from the fifth they were all square after twelve but lost seventeen and won the last for a halved game.

A win on the opening hole got Callum McMillan (Kirkcudbright) and Ciaran Howat (D&C) off to a good start but by the seventh they were two down. They battled hard and were all square after seventeen but lost the final hole to a birdie to unfortunately lose by one hole. Sam Mitchell (Portpatrick) and Glen Irvine (D&G) started with three pars and were two down and still two down after seven holes. The eleventh was conceded but this was the wake-up call they needed and they slowly forced their way back into the game before running out of holes and lost by one hole.

The score at lunch was Durham 3½ games to South ½ game. The South boys had played well and were disappointed as three of the four games had gone to the eighteenth and only produced a half point.

David Sharp led the South boys out in the afternoon singles and produced a massive fight back from being five down after ten holes to only losing by 2 & 1. Kaleb Johnston was two down after four holes, recovered to one down after ten but eventually lost by 4 & 2.

The first win of the day came from Finlay Copland, who after a good start lost holes five and six before winning seven with a birdie. Still one up after ten he increased this to two up after fourteen and finished one up. Jamie Marchbank was two down after seven and through ten but then lost holes by some remarkable recovery shots from impossible positions and lost 5 & 4.

Ciaran Howat is starting to enjoy match play golf and play to his potential. He was all square after ten holes and two up after fourteen before winning 2 & 1. Callum McMillan is beginning to believe in his ability. Down early on and three behind after ten holes, he fought back, including driving the green at the uphill fifteenth, to finish all square and halve his game.

Glen Irvine started well but a few bad shots in the middle of his game caused him to lose by 5 & 4 whereas Sam Mitchell capitalised on his good start and was two up after ten holes. He birdied the short sixteenth and won by 3 & 2

Although the South boys lost the singles by 4½ games to 3½ they thought they had played well and were unlucky to lose. The match score was a win for Durham by 8 games to 4

Individual Scores

Morning Foursomes

David Sharp (D&C) and Kelab Johnston (Portpatrick) lost to Adam Charleton (Ramside) and Duran Gun (George Washington) by 4 & 3

Finlay Copland (D&G) and Jamie Marchbank (D&G) halved with Cameron Pipe (Castle Eden) and Josh Hogarth (South Moor)

Callum McMillan (Kirkcudbright) and Ciaran Howat (D&C) lost to Daniel Vine (Consett) and Stephen Turnbull (Consett) by 1 hole

Sam Mitchell (Portpatrick) and Glen Irvine (D&G) lost to Jack Walling (Tyneside) and Ben Souley (Ravensworth) by 1 hole

Foursomes Score:       South ½ game Durham 3½ games

Afternoon Singles

David Sharp lost to Adam Charleton by 2 & 1

Kaleb Johnston lost to Duran Gun by 4 & 2

Finlay Copland beat Cameron Pipe by 1 hole

Jamie Marchbank lost to Josh Hogarth by 5 & 4

Ciaran Howat beat Daniel Vine by 2 & 1

Callum McMillan halved with Stephen Turnbull

Glen Irvine lost to Jack Walling by 5 & 4

Sam Mitchell beat Ben Souley by 3 & 2

Singles Score   South 3½ games         Northumberland 4½ games

Match Result  South 4 games                        Northumberland 8 games

The photograph shows the South team: David Sharp, Sam Mitchell, Kaleb Johnston, Jamie Marchbank, Ciaran Howat, Finlay Copland, Callum McMillan and Glen Irvine.