Lancashire wilt in war of the Roses

Aug 21 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

LANCASHIRE’S hopes of winning the Northern Counties League championship were crushed by a brilliant performance by Yorkshire at Southport and Ainsdale.

Lancashire were overwhelmed, their challenge simply swept aside as the northern champions set out to retain the title once again.

In the morning foursomes Jack Senior from Heysham and Steven McGlynn from Blackburn won their match 5&3. But that was Lancashire’s solitary win as Yorkshire surged into a 5-1 interval lead.

Any hopes of an afternoon revival soon faded, as Lancashire lost the first three singles matches before James Robinson at his home club and John Carrol, from Huyton and Prescot won their matches on the 17th.

The wins underline their top form. Robinson recently reached the semi-final of the English Amateur and Carrol won the Crosby Plate.

But Yorkshire’s quickly regained command, with three wins and a halve in the next four matches.

Mark Young (Longridge), Gareth Clark (Manchester) both won and Jack Senior halved. But Yorkshire won the singles 7½-4½ and the match 12½-5½.

Only victory against Durham in the final match and a surprising and major defeat for the unbeaten Yorkshire at third-from-bottom Cumbria in the final matches could give Lancashire the championship.

It seems certain that Lancashire’s efforts to regain the title last won in 1997 must now wait to be resumed next season.

But Lancashire Boys reclaimed some pride for their county, recovering from one point in arrears at lunchtime to force a draw with Yorkshire at Kirkbymoorside.

The partnerships of Sean Doherty (Shaw Hill) and Matthew Nixon (Ashton-under-Lyne), Scott Fitzgerald (Southport and Ainsdale) with Anthony Stirling (Formby) both won their foursomes while Adam Andrews (Ashton-in-Makerfield) with Sean Nicholas (halved).

The singles produced a keenly fought battle. But Nixon, Nicholls, Ciaran Doherty (Bury), Jack Brooks (Pleasington), Tom Stuart (St Annes Old Links) all won their singles. Anthony Stirling came in with the biggest win of the day, 7&6 and with a halved match for Adam Andrews (Ashton-in-Makerfield) Lancashire won the afternoon session 6½-5½ to draw the match 9-9.