SENIORS' CHANNEL LEAGUE v DORSET - SHERBORNE GOLF CLUB

After 3 highly successful winning matches, the DevonGolf Seniors' side went to Sherborne Golf Club to play an undefeated Dorset team. It was the first time Devon had faced Dorset in a Seniors' Channel League game for many years as Dorset had been playing in the South-East Group’s competition for the last few seasons.

There were changes for the Devon team with neither Pete Bicknell, Simon Waddington nor Paul Newcombe available. Chris Audin (Warren) was able to play and there was a return for the vastly experienced Coin Papworth (Teignmouth) and Stover’s Andy Rich made his debut in county colours playing with Papworth in the morning Greensomes.

The morning session could almost not have gone worse for the Devonians against the inspired pairs play from the Dorset team as they threw a barrage of birdies at the visitors. Team Manager Tim Aggett (Warren) and partner Jez Binch (Warren) were 2-under par but still succumbed 2-1 to John Smith from Parkstone and Moors Valley’s Dave Barton. The next two games went to the final hole, both going the the way of the hosts. First the Ferndown pairing of Gary Earl and Phil Bill defeating Chris Audin and Andy Clark (Honiton) just 1 up, followed by Came Down’s Mike Spearing and home club manager Paul Bodle defeating Papworth and Rich 2 up. Tony Allsopp (Tiverton) and Tim Jones (Warren) went down to a birdie blitz from Tony Coles (Ashley Wood) and Broadstone’s Ashley Beckett.

It was left to Mark Evans (RND) and Dave Eva (Thurlestone) to put something on the board, finishing birdie, par to eke out a half against Mark Stickley (Came Down) and Steve Robinson (Weymouth).

The DevonGolf Seniors' side have struggled in the morning this season but this was a huge blow and would need one of the more significant fight backs of recent years.

Aggett and Audin set the tone early with 2-1 and 3-2 wins respectively over Earl and Smith. Binch came to the 17th 1-up on Spearing but couldn’t find a par in the last two tricky short par 4s, allowing his Dorset opponent to run out a 1 up victor. Evans lost a high quality 4th match to Coles to a birdie on 17. Devon were 4 adrift with only 6 games to play.

Then the Devonians fought back! Clark went up the last all square but somehow found a final hole win to beat Bill, and around the same time Jones closed out Beckett on the 16th green. Rich went up the final hole with a 1 up lead over Bodle but suffered a cruel bounce on his approach shot, chipped down to around 5 feet on the difficult final green but his putt for the match lipped out. This was a vital half for Dorset after pinching the third game and those two reverses proved vital.

Papworth was 1-down playing the last against Robinson but the Dorset man was immovable and closed the game out with a further win, and although Allsopp was always in control of his game against Barton. Dave Eva staged yet another remarkable come-back of his own from the classic 2-down and 5 to play, both of them winning on the last. Devon finished the day just 1 match short as Dorset ran out winners 8-7.

It was a fantastic match played on an excellent golf course between two teams who might not have played each other directly over the last few years but know each other well from South-West Counties Championship play. The atmosphere was warm, battle hot but superbly conducted, the post-match discussions convivial. DevonGolf's thanks go to Sherborne Golf Club for hosting us so well. 

The Devon squad will need to rebound strongly in the two August matches against the Welsh counties starting away against Gwent. They will now need help to defend their title and cannot afford another slip up in the remaining matches if they are to be in the final shake up for the title......

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