First Team triumph over Northants.

On Saturday 9^th April Bedfordshire hosted Northamptonshire at The Millbrook for our second friendly of the season.

The morning foursomes got under way in cold drizzly conditions. The Millbrook pairing of Jack Leek and Micheal George led the way, in what is traditionally a very tough match. The opening pair traded blows during the early holes but never really got into their stride and they paid for it against a very strong lead pair for Northants by losing 5/3. Not the start Bedfordshire had spoken about prior to the fixture with the emphasis on being ahead after the morning foursomes.

Out second, first team Captain Paul Kenna and Jack Hawksby, which looked to be a very strong pairing, producing some very good golf and just managing to keep themselves in front all the way round, finally winning 1 up.

Paul Kitching and Curtis Sage-Passant were out third. A new pairing and what a pairing it turned out to be, always ahead and always looking comfortable, a great display of fairway and greens golf. Curtis rolling them in from everywhere, an early finish for this pair winning 6/5.

Out at four and both making their debut for the first team, Ryan Craig and Ryan Smith, a recognised foursomes pairing for both the county under 18s and Colts sides. Steady and controlled were the key words as they plotted their way to a very creditable victory winning 5/4 and looking like first team regulars. This was a fantastic win and brings to light the hard work being put in by everyone involved in County Golf with a young pair working their way through the county teams and arriving in the first team already very comfortable in foursomes golf, exactly what we need to do.

So 3-1 to Bedfordshire with one match still out on the course, first team regular Norman Cilliers and Sam Flannery were involved in a much tighter affair. Although being three up early on they were pegged back by the Northamptonshire pair over the start of the back nine but Norman and Sam held their nerve to take a very important 1up win.

A great morning for the Bedfordshire lads 4-1 up and in a great position to gain a win against a very strong Northamptonshire side.

The Weather had brightened up a touch by the time Jack Hawksby teed off in the first singles match of the afternoon. At lunch we had spoken about the fact that the Northants’ lads would come back strong, probably looking to take early points to get themselves back in the match, so we had to be ready.

As the early matches progressed it showed we were more than ready, Jack produced some scintillating golf never easing off to take a fantastic early 6/5 win, just the start we wanted. Things just got better and better with Micheal George out second mirroring Jack’s performance and taking the second point of the afternoon with a 6/4 win. Sam Flannery at number three showed a great display of ball striking taking the third point with another 6/5 win.

What a start one more point and the match was won.

Out at number four on his debut Ryan Smith, could he follow the three matches in front of him with the same quality…………………. OH yes he could! Ryan hardly put a foot wrong producing another great win 5/4. The Northamptonshire top order had not known what had hit them, four tremendous wins out of four and match won with six games still on the course.

Paul Kenna out at five also looked like he was going to take his match but great credit to his opponent Tom Forster who came back from two down with three to play to take a half.

A mini fightback then ensued with Paul Kitching losing 4/2 and Ryan Craig losing 2/1.

Jack leek pulled another point for Bedfordshire winning 3/2 even though he was nowhere near his best.

The last two points of the day did go to our opponents with Curtis losing 3/2 and Norman 4/2 but this did not detract from what had been a great performance from the Bedfordshire team with every member contributing at least a point and taking us to a 9.5 - 5.5 victory.

Although a great team performance a special mention to Ryan Craig and Ryan Smith who made the step up to the first team look very easy, also to The Millbrook Golf Club who looked after us superbly, all the lads could not get over the speed and quality of the greens and the course.

We now look forward to our first league game of the season v B.B.&O at Frilford Heath on May 8^th . Let’s hope we can take this type of form with us to get off to the best possible start to the 2016 season.

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