Quarter-final ties go down to the wire

GOLF: A REPEAT of the 2010 Knock-out Cup final is still possible after holders Crompton and Royton ‘A’ and finalists Werneth ‘A’ were kept apart in the semi-final draw.

The High Barn Road club now play Stamford ‘A’ after edging out North Manchester ‘A’ at Saddleworth with a last-green win for Kris Sutcliffe and Jason Webster.

Stamford ‘A’ also needed late finishes to see off Werneth ‘B’, with wins at the last and the first extra hole in a less than convincing 4-1 scoreline.

Likewise Werneth ‘A’ only got home with a last-green victory in a 3-2 success over Brookdale ‘A’ at Royton. They have home advantage against Saddleworth ‘A’.

Saddleworth completed the set of teams through to the last four on the final green thanks to a 3-2 win over plucky Crompton and Royton ‘B’.

In the first round of the Plate competition, notable results included Denton ‘B’ turning over their own ‘A’ team and a first win for the Derek Ashford-skippered Werneth ‘C’ team, who stepped in to take up Tunshill ‘B’ team’s fixtures after they withdrew.

League action resumes this week, and there are only three games to play before the top two in each division meet in the play-offs.