League News
NGL Handicap League Semi-final
Kingsthorpe and Kettering will meet in the Handicap League final next month after the two sides recorded convincing last-four victories against Hellidon Lakes and Overstone Park respectively.
A strong start was key to Kingsthorpe’s 14-3 Semi-final win at Overstone Park GC as Elijah Woodward and Dale Betts (four holes) and Anton Clarke and Kev Purkis (four holes) took the opening couple of ties.
Hellidon responded by winning games three and four by one and two holes respectively, but their hopes of a stunning comeback were quickly ended as Mark O’Neill and Peter Botterill (three holes) and Robert Tansley and Paul Botterill (three holes) clinched the last two matches.
Kettering were also never behind once Sean Suddards and David Potter secured the opening tie by three holes as they went on to enjoy a 11-1 success against Overstone Park at Kingsthorpe GC.
Although Overstone took the second game by a single hole, Kettering pulled further clear thanks to Andrew Wright and Asif Manji (two holes), Kim Davis and Rob Henbury (four holes) and Nigel Hanger and Mark Brown (two holes).
NGL Junior League Semi-final
Northants County B and Overstone Park B will go head-to-head in the Junior League Final at Wellingborough GC on Sunday after progressing through their respective Semi-finals earlier this month.
Competing on their home course at Northants County GC, points from Charlie Cannell, Holly Macmain and Oscar Robbins helped County B, who are unbeaten this season, defeat the County A team 3-1.
Overstone Park B, who lost to the Overstone A team in last year’s final, booked another final place in dramatic circumstances as they beat Peterborough Milton B in a sudden death play-off after the last four tie finished 2-2.
Overstone’s Oliver Godwin, who had earlier beaten Jacob Williams 4&3, maintained his good form to win the overall match on the first extra hole. Freya Pickford was Overstone’s other winner, while Charlie Pearce and Isaac Hedger were both successful for Milton.
A few days later, the Overstone team of Josh Ho, Jadon Pham, Giuseppe Memoli, William Nunn, Pickford and Godwin combined to win the Regional Junior League Finals in Worcestershire, and will now go on to represent the Midlands in the National Finals in Cheshire at the end of October.
NGL Intermediate League Semi-final
The top two seeds in this year’s Intermediate League will meet in the Final after Kettering and Northampton safely progressed through their last-four ties with Collingtree Park and Rushden respectively.
Kettering, who finished first in the league format, had few problems getting the better of Collingtree at Northampton GC as points from Stuart Bell, Mark Hastie, Lee Cobbold, Paul Wilson, Ben Atherton and Nick Keech earned a 6-2 win.
Northampton needed to show more resolve in their clash with Rushden at Collingtree Park GC as they bounced back from losing games one and two to secured a 5-3 victory.
James Brough and Nicholas Saker both recorded big wins, while Gareth Parker triumphed 3&2, but it was the one-hole success from Tom Nickelson and halves from Jonathan Thompson and Andrew Limbert in the last two games that made the difference for the Harlestone club.
NGL Ladies League
Northants County were crowned 2022 Ladies League champions with one match still to play after making it four wins in four outings this season with a 4-0 victory against Peterborough Milton at Northampton GC.
Points from Katie Amos (3&2), Louise Harte (2&1) and Mary Wetherly (3&1), plus a walkover win, proved decisive for County as they moved clear at the top of the table.
Reigning champions Wellingborough, who play County in their last match next month, could have taken to the title race to the last week if they had beaten Overstone Park on the same day, but they could only record a 2-2 draw.
NGL Scratch League
Northants County and Peterborough Milton are battling it out for glory in the Men’s Scratch League after both teams claimed home wins in the latest round of fixtures.
Points from Nick Beal, Matthew Bird, Andrew Billson, Tom Bullough and Fergus Robinson helped pacesetters County defeat Northampton 5-3.
Milton, who have a couple of away matches to play this season, remain within two points of the leaders after beating reigning champions Overstone Park 6-2, courtesy of wins from Matt Pettit, Adam Barker, Adam Scott, Michael Wood, Chris White and Tom Burgh.
At the opposite end of the standings, Northampton gave themselves some breathing space as wins in the opening four ties helped them secure a vital 4½-3½ home success against bottom side Wellingborough.
Kettering will be playing top division Scratch League golf next season after wrapping up promotion with one match still to play as they thrashed closest rivals Collingtree Park 7½-½.
Rob Stevenson, Ben Atherton, Reece Dodd, Edward Keech, Nick Keech, Jamie Ashcroft and Jordan Darnell were all successful, while Joseph Hyde collected a half, as Kettering made it five wins in five outings.
Brampton Heath took a giant stride towards gaining promotion into the second tier as they bagged their third away victory of the year with a 4-2 triumph at Priors Hall to move one point clear of Daventry.
