LESLIE WOOD: BOYCE TRIUMPH IN LAST GASP PLAY OFF

BOYCE HILL -- The first round match against Colchester in the Leslie Wood got off to a steady start on Sunday when the home team took a 3-2 lead into the afternoon from the morning foursomes .

Pack leader David Smith (above left), increased his team's advantage by a point in the singles with some fine assistance from caddie David Coates.

Smith rallied back from three down on the 4th.

Club captain Jim Shovelin resisted the urge to celebrate early, even as things were looking good on the course. Ryan Brommage (below left) was among six of nine Boyce players up in the early stages of the singles.

Brommage was drawn against another big hitting youngster.

The pair slugged it out in one of the highest quality matches of the day.

Charlie Goodwin aided by caddie Perry Lodge was another Boyce player in good form and up at the turn.

But the game began to swing back to Colchester after Phil Alderton (below right) suffered a surprise loss to another big hitter.

As news began to filter through that Colchester were strengthening their grip on some of the games, Tom Wilson (below) triumphed on 17 with a birdie.

Mark Preston knotched up another win to secure more points on the board.

Despite some excellent play, Goodwin (above) lost on the 17th to a fine opponet who was below par on the back nine.

Brommage too had struggled to stay with his opponent on the back nine, but he came back from dormie two down to earn a half with a par on the tough 18. His score meant Boyce needed just half a point from the remaining three matches.

After another excellent match, Boyce Hill's Gary Loveday had this putt on 18 for a half, and a Boyce win.

It just missed low side.

Losses for the last two Boyce players, Simon Haggett and Tom Ward, took the match into a play-off, with both teams on 7.5 points. Haggett was chosen by the home team to take it down the 1st.

Two wonderful shots meant he had two putts for the win from 10ft below the hole.

Haggett sealed the win when he made the putt back.

He was congratulated first by fellow team member Roy Soilleux, who won both his foursomes and singles matches.

Boyce go into another tough match against Burnham at home.

Other scores on the day were:

Chelmsford v BYE
Harwich and Dovercourt 12 v Braintree 3
Risebridge 9½ v Basildon 5½
Burnham on Crouch 8 v Stock Brook 7
Orsett 9 v Warley Park 6
Romford 12½ v Upminster 2½
Langdon Hills 11 v Abridge 4
Canons Brook 10½ v Top Meadow 4½
Weald Park 3½ v Thorndon Park 11½
North Weald 8½ v Frinton 6½
Three Rivers 10½ v The Burstead 4½
Nazeing 6½ v Colne Valley 8½
West Essex 13 v Maldon 2
Lexden Wood 7 v Ballards Gore 8
Bentley 11½ v Belfairs 3½
Gosfield Lake 6 v Maylands 9
Chingford 2½ v Thorpe Hall 12½
The Warren 10½ v Forrester Park 4½
Five Lakes 5½ v Clacton on Sea 9½
Stoke by Nayland 11 v Hainault Forest Golf Club 4
Rochford Hundred 11 v Castle Point 4
Stapleford Abbotts 6 v Benton Hall 9
Royal Epping Forest 8½ v Channels 6½
Toot Hill 9½ v St Cleres Hall 5½
Garon Park 5½ v Woolston Manor 9½
The Essex (Earls Colne) 6 v Wanstead 9
Chigwell 13 v Belhus Park 2
Lords (Rayleigh) 10 v Blakes 5
Crondon Park 11 v Theydon Bois 4
Ilford 12½ v Woodford 2½
Boyce Hill 7½ v Colchester 7½
Epping 11 v Hartswood 4

2nd round games to be played on May 17 are:


To be played on Sunday 17 May 2009



Three Rivers v Stoke by Nayland
Crondon Park v Clacton
The Warren v Thorpe Hall
Epping v North Weald
Maylands v Benton Hall
Royal Epping Forest v Lords (Rayleigh)
Colne Valley v Rochford Hundred
Canons Brook v Risebridge
Boyce Hill v Burnham-on-Crouch
West Essex v Ballards Gore
Harwich & Dovercourt v Wanstead
Thorndon Park v Orsett
Chigwell v Woolston Manor
Chelmsford v Romford
Langdon Hills v Bentley
Toot Hill v Ilford