THE annual competition between Lyme Regis and Bridport for the Nantes Salver, sponsored by Nantes Solicitors of Bridport, is always a fiercely contested event.

THE annual competition between Lyme Regis and Bridport for the Nantes Salver, sponsored by Nantes Solicitors of Bridport, is always a fiercely contested event.

This year was anticipated to be no exception, particularly as the last time that Lyme had won the event was 2004!

However, with home advantage, a course in excellent condition and being able to field the strongest possible team, they were confident that they stood a good chance of victory.

Played as four-ball better-ball match, all of the Lyme pairs dovetailed exceptionally well to overcome some very stiff opposition from the equally determined Bridport side. Although the final result was an overwhelming 6 - 0 victory for Lyme Regis, many of the match results were closer than the final score seems to indicate. First pair out were Mike Warren (10) and Steve Philips (11), who played exceptionally well as a pair to record a 3-2 win over Terry Garrett (22) and ex-Lyme player Keith Hicks (13), whilst Roger Driver (7) and David Cannings (21) achieved an overwhelming 7 - 5 win over Mike Joslin (9) and Mike Conway.

Julian Cox (7) stormed round the first nine to record a gross evens score and with his playing partner, Roger Stokes (16), card a five-hole lead which gave a final 5 - 3 win over Malcolm Lawrence (11) and Ron Hobson (23).

John Thomas (14) and Ted Baker (15) also gelled well as a team, to complete a convincing 3 - 2 win over Derek Griggs (19) and Dave Cook (18). Meanwhile, newly qualified senior, Rob Clapp (5) and Club Vice Captain Ray Farrell (16) were looking set for defeat until, three holes from the 18th, Ray found inspiration to achieve a one-hole victory over Keith Brown (11) and Terry Wilmott (18).

One hole victories were also recorded by Brian Bellars and John Toates, both playing off 18 against Brian Walsh (16) and David Boggis (18). Needless to say, the Lyme team were jubilant after such an emphatic win and hopes were high for the forthcoming Knighton Heath trophy semi-final match against the Dorset Golf and Country Club.

Whilst the Lyme team played well, the combination of an extremely difficult course and home advantage to the opposition combined to result in a convincing 7 - 3 defeat.

Juniors Golf

Following their narrow defeat in the home leg of the quarter-final of the Dorset Junior club knockout, the Lyme team knew that they would have to play exceptionally well to record an overall victory. Also, with a couple of changes to the team necessary due to the holiday season, they were not over confident of achieving a win.

As it turned out, the match saw some well contested matches: Sophie Keech - won 4&3, Jonathan Ebdon-Halved, George Seed - lost one down, George Yorke - won 2&1, David Lyon - won 3&2.

Danny Searle - lost 7&6 to, leave the overall match score halved overall, requiring a one-hole “sudden death” decider.

So it was up to Sophie Keech, current club ladies champion and outstanding junior to contest the final hole. This she did successfully, with a par on the final hole to win the leg of the competition for the team. The team now look forward to finding out who they will play in the final of the event.