Dunstable Downs Golf Club hosted the County First Team in their League match against Middlesex on Sunday 4th August, and what a match it turned into. The Bedfordshire team was a blend of experience and youth and half the team could have been playing for the Colts.

In the morning foursomes we were given a great start by the Dunstable Downs pairing of Rob Sutton and Paul Kenna who proved too strong for their opponents with a 4 & 3 victory, but Middlesex moved ahead by winning matches 3 & 4 to move 2 - 1 ahead. The final match in the morning was much closer and resulted in a half after Robert Grant from Luton Hoo splashed out from a greenside bunker so close to the hole that the par putt was conceded. A great shoy under pressure from the youngster on his first start for the County. The morning foursomes finished 1½ to 2½ in the visitors favour.

After a great carvery lunch, Rob Sutton (Dunstable Downs) lead from the front and recorded a 5 & 4 victory to bring us level before Mark Carter (Dunstable Downs) edged us ahead with a comfortable 8 & 6 victory. Paul Kenna (Dunstable Downs) then lost by the narrowest of margins and Robert Grant (Luton Hoo) also lost to experienced ex-Pro John Baker by 4 & 3. Middlesex back in front by 1! Chris Spooner (Dunstable Downs) battled back well after being twice behind in his match to get a valuable half point to keep us just one behind before Reece Blair (Dunstable Downs) brought the sides level again at 5 points all with two matches still on the course.

Those final two matches were nip and tuck and both went to the tricky 18th hole. There, Jack Leek (The Millbrook) held his nerve to hole a great 15 footer for a win - Bedfordshire one ahead. In the last match Gary Munro (Bedfordshire) had lost the 17th hole after his approach shot just caught the front bunker to go one down with one to play. He hit a superb iron into 18 but his birdie put just failed to drop and with his opponent getting down in two from the front edge, the hole was halved but the last game was lost meaning the overall match was a 6 - 6 draw.

It was a tight match played in the right spirit on a course that just seems to be suited for exciting matchplay finishes. A great result in the end for a young team who will have benefited from the experience. Well done.

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