LANCASHIRE were again a thorn in the side of Roses rivals Yorkshire when they beat them 11-7 at Pleasington to maintain their 100 per cent winning record in the Daily Telegraph Northern Counties League.

They turned them over at Moortown last season and relegated them to second place in the Northern Counties Championship at Manchester in June to qualify for a fifth English Final in six years.

There was nothing between them at the start of the day but Yorkshire were quick out of the blocks, winning the foursomes 4-2 and unfortunate not to have been further ahead after host club player Jonathan Hurst chipped in on the final green to halve the top match.

But Lancashire hit back and dominated the singles, Mark Young getting them off to a flying start with an emphatic 7&5 triumph over Chris Halley.

John Carroll, Hurst, Ciaran Doherty and debutant Haydn McCullen, the newly crowned county champion, piled on more points and a fighting half by Steven McGlynn who won the last two holes against England player Daniel Wasteney put them in sight of victory.

Sean Towndrow delivered the winning points and when Louis Tomlinson holed out at the 149-yard 16^th with a 50 degree wedge for his fifth ace the contest was over.

Adam Stone and home player Michael Hunt took Lancashire’s total eight wins from 12 ties.

Skipper Paul Williams enthused: “We did not click in the foursomes but I knew we would perform well in the singles. I put youngsters McCullen and Stone down the order to take the pressure off them and they coped admirably. I also had experience players at the start and end of the order which paid off.”

FOURSOMES: Mark Young (Longridge) & Jonathan Hurst (Pleasington) halved with Jamie Bower (Meltham) & Paul Lockwood (Hessle); Michael Hunt (Pleasington) & Steven McGlynn (Preston) bt Chris Halley (Malton & Norton) & Martin Brown (Pike Hills) 1h; John Carroll (Huyton & Prescot) & Haydn McCullen (Delamere Forest) halved with Will Whiteoak (Bingley St Ives) & Jamie Harrison (Rotherham); Ian Kenwright (Haydock Park) & Ciaran Doherty (Bury) lost to Daniel Wasteney (Lindrick) & Joe Dean (Lindrick) 6&5; Richie Blundell (Hillside) & Sean Towndrow (S&A) lost to Daniel Brown (Bedale) & Ben Sardo (Moor Allerton) 3&2; Louis Tomlinson (West Lancs) & Adam Stone (Lancaster) lost to Jonny McAllister (Tankersley Park) & Dominic Moon (Rotherham) 3&2. SINGLES: Young bt Halley 7&5; Carroll bt Bower 3&1; Hurst bt Whiteoak 1h; McCullen bt Lockwood 2&1; Doherty bt Brown 5&4; McGlynn halved with Wasteney; Blundell lost to Brown 5&4; Towndrow bt McAllister 2&1; Tomlinson halved with Dean; Stone bt Harrison 4&3; Kenwright lost to Sardo 2&1; Hunt bt Noon 3&2.  

NORTHERN COUNTIES LEAGUE

                                    P         W        D         L          F          A         Pts

Lancashire              3           3          0          0         40           14         6

Yorkshire                  3          2          0          1         35           19         4

Cheshire                   3          2          0          1         24.5       29.5     4

Northumberland     3          1          1          1         22.5       31.5     3    

Durham                     3          0          1          2         21.5       22.5     1

Cumbria                    3          0          0          3         18.5       35.5     0

Lancashire face Durham at Ravenscroft on August 3 and host Northumberland in their final match at Southport & Ainsdale on August 31.           

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