Northumberland gave English and Northern Counties champions Yorkshire a bloody nose in the opening round of Northern Counties League matches.
It was a sad show by Yorkshire against a young side from the north east who delivered a stunning performance at Morpeth to win 10.5-7.5.
Yorkshire captain Andy King replaced Matthew Evans and the side led 4-2 after the foursomes.
After Gareth E
vans went down on the last green to Simon Lee in the top singles, Adam Hodkinson hit back for the champions and Nick McCarthy followed by sharing his match with Sandy Twynholm. But Sam Haywood's win and half-points by Martin Brown and Steve Brennan were Yorkshire's only further rewards.
Foursomes (Northumberland names first): S Lee & P Ridden lost to G Evans and A King 2&1; S Twynholm & C Penny halved with A Hodgkinson & A Best; P Waugh & B Taylor lost to S Haywood & N McCarthy 2&1; S Heads & R Crowe halved with D Appleyard and M Armitage; A Minnikin & C Wilkinson bt M Brown & D McCarthy 2&1; N Maddison & K Gray lost to A Hodkin & S Brennan 3 &2.
Singles: Lee (Newcastle United) bt Evans (Northcliffe) 1 hole; Ridden (City of Newcastle) lost to Hodkinson (Hallowes) 2&1; Twynholm (Morpeth) halved with N McCarthy (Moortown); Waugh (Hexham) bt Best (Cleveland) 3&1; Taylor (Hexham) bt King (Garforth) 2&1; Heads (Hexham) lost to Haywood (Rotherham) 2 holes; Penny (Morpeth) bt Appleyard (South Leeds) 1 hole; Minnikin (Gosforth) halved with Brown (Pike Hills); Wilkinson (Blyth) bt Armitage (Howley Hall) 5&4; Gray (Slaley Hall) bt D McCarthy (Pannal) 2&1; Maddison (City of Newcastle) bt Hodkin (Wheatley) 3&2; Crowe (Newcastle United) halved with Brennan (Wheatley).
The full article contains 289 words and appears in EP Leeds First & County newspaper.
