Dukinfield celebrate a second success

DUKINFIELD have been crowned Oldham Golf League ‘A’ division champions for the second time in three years.

They did so despite a 6-2 defeat at Brookdale, the two points being enough to put them out of reach of rivals who have games in hand.

Saddleworth, who mathematically were still in the frame with three games to play, crashed out of the title race with an 8-0 defeat at Stamford.

The home side’s points came from Tony Cavanagh and James Woodcock (6 & 5), Stuart Fletcher and Chris Houfe (3 & 2), Martin Dwyer and Andy Earlam (2 & 1) and Kevin Duffy and Guy Hall (1 hole).

Werneth, who have been worst hit by weather cancellations, had hoped to make up some ground, but went down 7-1 at Ashton.

Jonathans Wilde and Dooley halved against Andy Lomas and Darren Sharkey as the other three close games went to Ashton players - Ivan Slater and Barry Shaw-Allan (2 & 1), Steve McGee and Alex Dawster (1 hole) and Lee Butterworth and Chris Mooney (2 &1).

The ‘B’ Division has come down to a last-match shoot-out to decide the title.

Leaders Brookdale lost 6-2 at Dukinfield, while nearest rivals Stamford drew 4-4 at Saddleworth.

That means Brookdale lead by six points and they host Stamford in the decider so anything better than a 7-1 home defeat will be enough for Chris Gleave’s Woodhouses men to retain the title.

Brookdale’s only winners at Dukinfield were brothers Graham and Gary Whittaker (2 &1), while Stamford’s points came from Chris Akers and George Sillars (3 & 1) and Steve Flynn and John Sharples (3 & 2).

The home side’s winners were David and Jordan Taylor (3 & 2), and team captain John Walsh and Graham Hobbs (4 & 3).

Werneth lifted their hopes of finishing off the bottom with a 6-2 home victory over Ashton featuring wins for Tony McNamara and Alan Goodall (4 & 3) and Richard Riley and Ron Bowden (2 &1).

But Oldham also won —5-3 against Denton — so the two sides face each other in a rearranged game tonight with only two points separating them.

Week 14 results –

‘A’ Division: Stamford 8, Saddleworth 0; Ashton 7, Werneth 1; Denton 7, Oldham 1; Brookdale 6, Dukinfield 2.

‘B’ Division: Saddleworth 4, Stamford 4; Werneth 6, Ashton 2; Oldham 5, Denton 3; Dukinfield 6, Brookdale 2.