HOT PLATE BOGNOR

 

      Ollie Turnill's return from a golf scholarship in America could not be better timed for Bognor.

      After finishing runner-up as defending titleholder in the Sussex Colts championship, Turnill helped his club reach the quarterfinals of the Davies       & Tate Plate.

      Partnering team captain Dave Hicks, Turnill, the 2005 Sussex Amateur champion, powered to a 5 & 3 foursomes win over Tilgate Forest.  Turnill       followed up with a 6 & 5 singles win and Bognor sailed through the third round 8-4.

      Tom Lea, 16 recovered from a four holes deficit to halve with Ron Beattie while Liam Maskell, another Sussex junior, beat Paul Danton 3 & 2.  Bognor       led the foursomes 2.5-1.5 thanks to a fighting half by Andy Field and Will Biffen.

      They were one down on the 18th tee to Vic Carter and Ron Hallem but Biffen, a late choice, holed a tricky eight-footer to win the hole giving Bognor       the lunchtime lead.

 

                                                                    COODEN'S SURPRISE

 

      Cooden Beach sprang a surprise winning 8.5-3.5 at Littlehampton.

      A day of upsets began for Littlehampton when Wayne Hawes and Chris Sykes lost their foursomes to an unfancied pair.  But underdogs Martin Thompson       and David Munro won 2 & 1 and further back up came when Stuart Ede and Ben Nash accounted for Rod Harker and Sam Dix by 4 & 3.  When Doug Park and       Peter Bradshaw brushed aside Nick Kalli and Dave Webb by 5 & 3 lunch tasted all the better for Cooden.

      The domination continued in the singles, David Warden, Ben Nash, Doug Park, Stuart Ede and John Heys all winning and team captain Peter Bradshaw       halving with Kalli.

      "I was expecting a loss when Martin and David went out first, but they did very well and shook everybody," said team manager Steve Bedwell.

      "I was all over the course keeping up with everything and felt like a winning Ryder Cup captain."

      Cooden achieved their notable win without Chris Skinner who has won the club championship 17 times and is an automatic choice.  Skinner was on       holiday in Scotland while Steve Graham, Littlehampton's stalwart and former Sussex Open champion, arrived back from holiday in America too late to       be selected.

 

MANNINGS MARCH ON

 

      Mannings Heath qualified for a home quarterfinal against Cooden Beach thanks to an easy passage at the expense of Foxbridge.  The 10-2 success       reflected their all round superiority based on a clean sweep in the foursomes.

      "We have a young team and are sticking to it," said manager Steve Wright.

      Mike Edwards, 17 scored Mannings' most significant victory trimming Matt Allen, the 1995 Sussex champion, 3 & 2.

      "Mike is an up and coming player who is now off a one handicap and hitting the ball solidly and a very long way," enthused Wright.

      Points winners for Foxbridge were Trevor Francis with a two holes defeat of Martin Hailes while Danny O'Rourke finished one up against Adam       Pengelly.

 

HILL BARN'S HURRAH

 

      Wins for Hill Barn in either of the two Davies & Tate knockouts are very few and far between.

      The downward trend ended with the 9-3 defeat of Chartham Park from East Grinstead.

"We set our stall out and were very pleased with the result although it was tighter than it looked on paper," said John Pritchard, the Hill Barn team captain.

      David Tulley, 16 had a good day figuring in a halved foursome with Steve Stranock and winning his singles by 5 & 4 against Nick Hawker.

      "We've never been this far before," said Pritchard who takes his team to East Sussex National for a place in the semi-finals.

 

HAPPY HIGHWOODS

 

      Lewes, who invariably punch their weight, were outpointed at Bexhill where Highwoods built on a 3-1 foursomes lead to win 7-5.

      Lewes were unable to improve on four singles wins as Highwoods matched them with good performances in the middle and lower order as tension mounted.

Sussex Colt James Doswell and Mike Anthony got off to a good foursomes start that continued through Paul Nessling and Murray Thomson beating experienced Lawrie Tremlett and A.J. Boyce.

Lewes' Hilton brothers, Mark and Henry went down 2 & 1 to Alan Ross and Mike Feery while the only winners for the visitors in the morning were Steve Verth and Ian Birch.

Roy Stephenson kicked-off the singles with a 2 & 1 defeat of Henry Hilton and then came three Lewes wins on the trot by Mike Hart, Mark Hilton and Lawrie Tremlett.

But only Boyce could add to that in the last four matches and now Highwoods go to Albourne where Singing Hills beat Avisford Park from Arundel 10.5-1.5.

 

                                                                     CHEERS FOR CHILTS

 

      Darren Mustchin followed up his equal fifth placing in the Sussex Colts championship with another strong performance for West Chiltington.

In the 7-5 defeat of Ifield, Mustchin, the Sussex under-15s champion five years ago, enjoyed an all-conquering day.  With Arron Tewesley he won his foursomes and went on to defeat Steve White by 3 & 2 in the singles.

      Tom Cousins, Paul Fisher and Allan Cousins were Ifield's afternoon winners when the singles went 4-3 West Chiltington's way.

 

      Davies & Tate Plate, 3rd round results:

 

Mannings Heath beat Foxbridge 10-2;

Highwoods beat Lewes 7-5;

Littlehampton lost to Cooden Beach 8.5-3.5;

East Sussex National beat Cowdray Park 9.5-2.5;

Singing Hills beat Avisford Park 10.5-1.5;

Tilgate Forest lost to Bognor 8-4;

Hill Barn beat Chartham Park 9-3;

West Chiltington beat Ifield 7-5

 

      Draw for the third round to be played July 14:

 

Cooden Beach v Mannings Heath;

Singing Hills v Highwoods;

Bognor v West Chiltington;

East Sussex National v Hill Barn.