THE MARCH of East Sussex National to the semi-finals of the PAV i.t. Trophy was more of a one-horse race as they crushed Ifield 10.5-1.5 at Little Horsted.
In the other quarter-finals, West Hove and Haywards Heath could only be separated on countback, the balance of holes won being 27-16 in West Hove's favour. Lewes won 7-5 at Royal Eastbourne while Pyecombe removed West Sussex 9-3.
Now ESN take on P
yecombe while West Hove will find Lewes tough nuts to crack. Both semi-finals go ahead at neutral venues on August 16.
UNDER RATED PYECOMBE
Although form suggests ESN are favourities to win the Sussex Inter-Club Matchplay championship for a second time, Pyecombe's team captain Alan Davey refuses to view the semi-final as being all over bar the shouting. "We are a good side and one that is under rated. This is the second time in nine years we have reached the semi's and the eighth time in nine years that we have got to the quarter-finals. Our performance in beating a very strong West Sussex side was a fantastic team effort and proving that we are not a team of individuals."
Only three of the ESN team beaten 9-3 at Pyecombe in the second round last year figured in the one-sided encounter with Ifield. Lee Drew, Luke Cornford and Malcolm Clear retained their places in a squad that manager Derek Howe likes to rotate.
"We are pleased to get Pyecombe as they turned us over last year and this is an opportunity to even things out," he said. The current selection, with the exception of team captain Malcolm Clear, consists entirely of Sussex juniors or those who have played at colts level for the county.
For Howe the match with Ifield was a reminder that he used to run their team. "Alan Cousins, who is Ifield's team captain now, was a junior in 1986 when I was manager...frightening isn't?"
Against West Sussex, Pyecombe moved into a strong position by lunchtime with all the foursomes in the bag. Trevor Greenfield and Phil Hubble had it all their own way demolishing Julian Hunt and Julian McCree 8 & 6. On the second hole the Pyecombe pair made a half after taking a drop. To make matters worse for West Sussex, Greenfield hit a sand iron onto the tenth green 10ft past the hole and watched as it spun back for an eagle two.
Michael Stoner's 2 & 1 victory over ex-pro Jamie Donaldson in the top singles put Pyecombe into even better heart. Dave Travis, whose reign as The Dyke champion testified to an ability to cope with Downland courses, scored the first West Sussex point beating Drew Bailey by two holes.
The door effectively closed on West Sussex, however, with Julian Deans beating Colin Jones, one up after winning three of the last four holes. The West Sussex tail wagged when Max Farrant beat Trevor Greenfield 4 & 3 and team captain Paul Turrell accounted for Phil Hubble 5 & 4. The signs of a revival vanished when Andy Barnes, John Deacon and Ian Taylor all came in smiling.
WEST HOVE JUNIORS SHINE
At West Hove the foursomes kicked off with an impressive 7 & 5 victory for juniors Lewis Jackson and Dan Milligan over the Haywards Heath Cowley brothers Sam and Tim. The Haywards Heath pair who recently won the Seaford Tusks for the county foursomes championship, have plans for a future outside amateur golf.
This was Sam's last match for Haywards Heath. The 21 year-old has been working in the pro shop at West Sussex and is turning professional. He starts on the bottom rung as a trainee assistant and Tim, 18 has indicated that he will follow in the footsteps of his brother.
After a 2.5-1.5 foursomes lead, West Hove were given a further boost by Tom Coulson's 7 & 6 win over John Turner. Coulson lived up to his reputation as a mighty hitter by reaching the 396-yd ninth with his drive and Turner saved him the trouble of holing a short eagle putt by conceding the hole.
The decisive match involved Jackson and Sam Cowley. They were all square with four to play when West Hove's junior captain won the next three on the trot. This gave his team the six points to ensure a tie and having three victories each by the margin of seven holes there was no doubts about West Hove going through on countback by 27-16.
Tony Humphrey, West Hove's team manager, said: "We are pleased to get through to the last four. The games were not easy for some and Haywards Heath were the toughest team we have played so far. They won the last three matches to draw level on a day played in a good spirit."
Alan Hull, Haywards Heath's team captain, remarked: "Of course, we are disappointed as we were hoping to win and get to the final. But this has been another positive season for us and I have to say West Hove are a decent side. We were drawn away three times which was also the case last year yet we only lost once in ten games. This year Ali Dalgleish has been our star and he won again at West Hove in both the singles and with John Turner in the foursomes."
LEWES LEAD THE ROYAL
Nothing to chose between Royal Eastbourne and Lewes after the tied foursomes when the visitors finished just one hole to the good. But Lewes put their big guns out early in the singles and it paid off with four successive wins paving the way to a 7-5 passage into the semi-finals.
The top singles was notable for a remarkable late burst by Darren Clarke at the expense of Matt Packard. The Royal man was one up playing the 15th when Clarke holed out for a birdie from a bunker to win the hole. Not content with that, Clarke made birdie at the next and then chipped-in at 17 for another to win 2 & 1.
When Matt Hart beat Barry Illsley 7 & 6 that wrapped it up for Lewes and the Royal managed only two singles wins. Teenage left-hander Adam Brown was four under par when beating John Williams 2 & 1 and Steve Clarke took out A.J. Boyce 4 & 3. The Royal pair had earlier combined well in the foursomes with a 6 & 5 defeat of the father and son Hilton duo of Tom and Henry.
"The foursomes were very tight," said Chris Zara, the Lewes team manager. "But after that we got to the required six points early on. It was particularly nice for Darren Clarke who has returned to the team this year after a break of 15 years due to work commitments."
Michael Wishart, the Royal team manager, said: "I was very proud of my lads. They did their best but Lewes always had the upper hand in the singles although three of the matches went to the eighteenth involving Jake Collis, Toby Anderson and Ali Hall-Jones."
RESULTS
Trophy, 4th round:
Royal Eastbourne lost to Lewes 7-5;
ESN beat Ifield 10.5-1.5;
Pyecombe beat West Sussex 9-3;
West Hove beat Haywards Heath 27-16 on countback.
Draw for the semi-finals to be played August 16 at neutral venues to be announced:
Pyecombe v ESN;
West Hove v Lewes.
Plate, 1st round:
Slinfold Park lost to Sedlescombe 9-3;
Peacehaven beat Cowdray Park 7-5;
Seaford beat Eastbourne Downs 11.5-0.5;
Singing Hills beat Hill Barn 10-2;
Boars Head lost to The Dyke 7.5-4.5;
Cooden Beach beat Royal Ashdown Forest 8.5-3.5;
Selsey lost to Holtye 7.5-4.5;
The Nevill beat Bognor 8.5-3.5;
Wellshurst w.o. Piltdown;
Brighton & Hove w.o. Waterhall;
West Chiltington beat Chartham Park 8-4;
Beauport Park lost to East Brighton 7-5;
Hollingbury Park lost to Highwoods 8-4;
Chichester beat Foxbridge 10.5-1.05;
Mannings Heath beat Sweetwoods Park 11-1;
Dale Hill lost to Lindfield 7.5-4.5.
Draw for 2nd round to be played June 7:
Brighton & Hove v West Chiltington;
Wellshurst v East Brighton;
Seaford v Singing Hills;
Chichester v Peacehaven;
Cooden Beach v Highwoods;
Lindfield v The Dyke;
Holtye v The Nevill;
Mannings Heath v Sedlescombe.
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