Last year, our 1st Team came back from a disastrous start to register the narrowest win margin. Despite the possible loss of Rob Steele and Matt Cryer (to playing the Berkshire Trophy if they made the cut) and several injuries, Ian Watkins was confident that his team could make a good start. That was certainly the case in the morning foursomes.

Matches 1 and 3 went to the last, with Matt Cryer rushing back north when he did miss the cut at the Berkshire, to partner fellow Finham member Carl Kirby and Chris Evans with Ryan Burton being our winning partnerships. The two Davids, Fletcher and Harris won more comfortably whilst Dave Westwood and David Guthrie managed a half - Warks 3.5 Worcs 1.5

Cryer didn’t have too many putts in a 4&3 win to start the singles. He was soon followed back to the clubhouse by an injured David Fletcher (playing with a dodgy back) who was playing excellent conservative golf hitting 15 out of 16 greens. In a good game, Carl Kirby couldn’t hold Lee Richardson and lost on the last but when he thrown away a 2 hole lead, despite some very impressive driving all day, David Harris recovered to birdie the last and take his match 1up.

That result left Warwickshire needing just 1.5 points for the win. No points came from Chris Evans who was having a very rare off day but Ryan Burton was impressive in his 4&3 victory - half a point was now needed and when Bill Nicolson found himself a fair few yards behind his opponent, playing the last with the match all square, the odds were not in our favour. Hitting a long iron to 15ft, Bill could only watch as his opponent took a 9 iron and stuffed his second to 5ft.

However, when Nicolson rolled in his putt, his partner didn’t hit the hole and the match was Warwickshire’s with an additional half coming from debutant David Guthrie. Dave Westwood and Captain Ian Watkins both shook hands on the 17th.

Result - Warwickshire 9 Worcs 6 - excellent start.

Post play, Ian Watkins announced his team for the County 6, to be held at Gog Magog in two weeks time (on the 21st June)

Rob Steele (Kenilworth), Matt Cryer (Finham), David Fletcher (Stratford-on-Avon), Chris Evans (Maxstoke), Paul Randle (Nunetaon) and Carl Kirby (Finham) - reserve Ryan Burton (Nuneaton)