SHEFFIELD EDGES CLOSER TO TITLE

BY RICHARD HODGKINSON

Neil Stones assembled his strongest Sheffield side of the season - the twelve players having a combined handicap of plus-18 - and watched from the sidelines as a comprehensive victory over Halifax-Huddersfield took Sheffield to within one win of retaining the Yorkshire Inter-District league title.

The 26 points to 10 margin at Bondhay rewarded the team's thorough preparation for this game, which started as early as April. "We had marked this out as a tricky game, and had a pre-season get together here so that the lads could familiarise themselves with the course. We knew local knowledge would play a big part, and I am sure it helped," said Stones. 

With comfortable wins in four of the six morning foursomes, and another half from Bailey Gill and Nathan Fell, Sheffield were in control from the off, and a strong top end of the singles order was never likely to relinquish their advantage. Nick Poppleton, fresh from his impressive win in the Westwood Trophy, led the way, and although he was pegged back from dormie two up for a half by Huddersfield's Aaron Schnacke, the win was soon assured. Gill, Ben Brewster, Lewis Hollingworth, Kier Stockdale and Jordan Perry all won before the 16th, leaving the way for Matt Evans (pictured below) to produce the shot of the day to round things off.

Blocked out by trees, and with four water hazards in the 250 yards between him and the flag, Evans shaped a magnificent three wood right into the heart of the three tier 18th green to close out his match in stunning fashion. He had been out of sorts for most of the day, but the chance to pull off something spectacular clearly focussed his mind. "I just refused to hit a lob wedge for my second shot," he explained, though few could have channelled such frustration into something so glorious.

 "One game to go," was his Captain's succinct summary. The challenge of Northcliffe, against Bradford on the 4th of September, awaits, and if Sheffield can rise to the occasion, the title will be theirs for the sixth time in seven years.

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