Leaders knocked off their perch

LONG-TIME ‘A’ Division leaders Denton have been knocked off the top of the Oldham Golf League in emphatic fashion with only three games to go.

They were whitewashed 8-0 at title rivals Dukinfield and a four-point lead has now been turned into a similar deficit.

Wins came from Martin Schofield and John Cunningham, Rob Fawcett and Rick Devine, Gaz Beresford and Graeme Barrett and Barrie Lees and Chris Bamber.

With only three league games to go it will be tight as Dukinfield play two out of three away while Denton still have two home games left.

Werneth boosted hopes of getting off the bottom — they have two games in hand on the rest — with a 4-4 draw against Brookdale thanks to wins for Adam Rowbotham and James Buckley (4&2) and Mark Abbott and Michael Farrimond (1 hole).

Winners for Brookdale were Gary Lever and Mike Taylor and Brad Keeling and Paul Wood.

Brookdale ‘B’ claimed a hard-fought 5-3 away win at Werneth thanks to Dave Harrison and Arthur Tattersall (4&2) and Chris Gleave and John Strachan (1hole) while Gary and Graham Whittaker halved.

It proved enough to keep them four clear of three clubs — Stamford, Ashton and Denton — with Dukinfield only a shot further back in a very tight league.

Stamford’s surge came via a 6-2 win over Ashton with successes for Tony McClusky and John Grainger (2 holes), Paul Whitehead and Terry Merson (4&3) and Neil Pragnall and George Sillars (2&1).

A true act of sportsmanship proved costly for Saddleworth ‘B’ in their 5-3 win at home to Oldham.

Visitor Ron Lewis pulled a calf muscle early in the game and Saddleworth allowed non-playing captain Martin Lewis to step in — only for him and Pete Sparks to claim a win!

Sam Gilbey and Stuart Hanson got Oldham’s other point in a halved match with John Walsh and Dave Newman while the home side winners were father and son Dave and Jordan Taylor and Graham Hobbs and Nick Corrigan.

Week 11 results

A DIVISION: Ashton 7, Stamford 1; Oldham 4, Saddleworth 4; Dukinfield 8, Denton 0; Brookdale 4, Werneth 4.

B DIVISION: Stamford 6, Ashton 2; Saddleworth 5, Oldham 3; Denton 8, Dukinfield 0; Werneth 3, Brookdale 5.