After their opening match win over Durham Cheshire won a tense thriller against Cumbria, at Workington GC, to keep the Northern Counties League title in their sights.
The host team made a useful start by winning the morning foursomes by 3.5-2.5.
Getting the vital points for Cheshire were Matthew Dodd-Berry (Royal Liverpool) and Dan Hayes (Bramhall) 3-2 and Cheshire Captain Jon Beesley (Warrington) and his long-time colleague Chris Chilton (Lymm) 4/3 with Kris Towers (Crewe) and Luke Yardley (Stockport) adding a half.
It was all to play for in the afternoon singles and Matt Dodd Berry and Dan Hayes both secured 4/3 wins to put Cheshire ahead.
Haminder Matharu (Queens ParK) lost by one hole to see Cumbria draw level.
Then Cheshire came out with all guns blazing with wins for Jack Nicholson (Vicars Cross) 5/4, Sam Burton (Prestbury) 2/1, to regain the slender lead.
After a 3/2 defeat for Cole Self (Ringway) it was a nerve-jangling finish with halves for Rory Macdonald-O’Brien (Royal Liverpool) and Paul McFerran (Warrington).
Jon Beesley showed his class with a 3/2 win but defeats fro Chris Chilton 5/4 and Kris Towers left it all down to Luke Yardley to secure victory.
He kept his nerve to win on the final green to the delight of his team mates, officials and supporters to see Cheshire across the line by 9.5-8.5 and set up an exciting finish to their season with matches against Northumberland and Yorkshire.
Yorkshire drew with Lancashire in a vital match at West Lancs on 9th July. This leaves Cheshire as the only team with a 100% record. Our next match is at Stockport against Northumberland on 20th August, where a win may well set up a league-deciding match away against Yorkshire at The Oaks in September.
Copy: Geoff Garnett
