This being, easily, the furthest journey for the majority of the “SBN” team we had an extra 30 mins on our normal meet time and so we headed to Haverhill with the typical weather forecast of rain showers later in the day. The forecast proved to be wrong; once the rain started it continued for the remainder of the match.
Weather aside the course conditions were remarkably good with preferred lies no longer in play and greens fast and true. One buggy-user was ‘proudly’ saying they are encouraged to drive on the fairways as the rough is generally far wetter !
Unfortunately today’s reporter lacks the journalistic skills of the previous incumbent but here’s a quick breakdown of what seems to becoming a regular outcome for “SBN’.

MATCH ONE:-
John Parkinson and Tony Carman
Giving 20 shots is always going to be really tough and ‘birdies and pars’ were not good enough. 3 down at the turn Tony’s superb approach to within 4 feet on the 17th to win the hole and level the match took it to the 18th. Sadly it wasn’t to be as the overall steady play of their opponents edged the game
RESULT:- LOST ON LAST HOLE

MATCH TWO:-
Brian Willsher and Richard Allen
When introducing the pairs one of our opponents had gone home to collect a forgotten trolley battery but luckily he returned as last week Brian and John Jardine’s match against Brett Vale was scrapped as they had no opponents to play.
If a round was only 2 holes long we would have won but after Richard parred the 1st to go one up we were never ahead again. After a slow start, finding more than his fair share of greenside bunkers, Brian’s game improved whilst Richard went in reverse. Whilst it felt there was always a chance of getting back into the match it was all over on the 15th.
RESULT LOST 4 AND 3

MATCH THREE:-
Ian Bickers and Trevor Waterhouse
Ian suggested they were “not too bad” through the first 9 holes but suddenly Haverhill were sinking putts from EVERYWHERE. This is perhaps the time to highlight the massive difference in the speed of the greens compared with ours’ at present. Local knowledge was certainly helping our opponents.
Incidentally, for those remotely interested and Roger, Ian was looking particularly smart and casual for the lunch, which was not the case for some who had obviously not read the dress code.
RESULT:- LOST 3 AND 2

MATCH FOUR:-
Brian Roloff and Kevin Walsh
Brian and Kevin were ‘off to flier’ with ‘THE BIG MAN’ birdying the 1st and parring the 2nd after hitting the flag with his bunker shot ! From then on the game fluctuated up and down until “SBN’ finally got their first point of the match. An enjoyable match apart from the inevitable rain.
RESULT WON 3 and 2

MATCH FIVE:-
Malcolm Norton and Andy Cracknell
Youngsters Malcolm and Andy (well Andy) proceeded to get 3 up before they both ’went off the boil’ at the same time ! Apparently they both played ‘majestic’ (Andy’s description not mine) shots on the par 16th to go 1 up. Having started the round on the 17th it was obviously their last hole.
RESULT:- WON 1 up

MATCH SIX:-
Richard Middleton and Iain Gault
‘A HORROR SHOW’ !
It appears neither played well until it no longer matter. To be fair to the opposition, Glen and Derek dovetailed and played extremely well. Iain needed birdies to half holes. The match was finished by Glen getting a net eagle followed by a net birdie.
RESULT:- LOST 7 and 6

MATCH SEVEN:-
Alan Line and David Drew
Another tale of woe ! After a bad start it just got worse. Succinct notes from our pair:-
Nice Course
Good Company
Great greens but putted off the green on the 2nd Lost plenty of balls
Finally OUTCLASSED !
RESULT:- LOST 6 and 5

MATCH EIGHT:-
Peter Jay and Mick Henry
A ‘nip and tuck’ match with never more than a hole in it throughout. A little winge from our pairing that starting on the 17th meant they started on two of the toughest holes on the course ? The back 9 proceeded 1 down/ AS/ 1 down/ AS / 1 down/ AS so on the 16th tee it was decided neither team team deserved to lose and hands were shaken. A great match. Those of us who had finished an hour and half earlier had started to wonder where they were so thankfully the meal could get underway.
RESULT:- MATCH HALVED

OVERALL RESULT:- STOKE BY NAYLAND 2 and a half / HAVERHILL 5 and a half
and so to date we have won two matches lost seven with two halved. I understand this is a regular topic of conversation between past and present captains but with, I believe, 20 matches still to play there is still plenty of time to ‘turn our fortunes around”.

Many thanks to Brian Willsher for taking on the reporting responsibilities today - thanks Brian.

Team ………….

1st     John Parkinson (Captain) & Tony Carman

2nd     Brian Willsher (Reporter) & Richard Allen

3rd     Ian Bickers & Trevor Waterhouse

4th     Brian Roloff & Kevin Walsh

5th     Malcolm Norton & Andy Cracknell

6th     Richard Middleton & Iain Gault

7th     Alan Line & David Drew

8th     Peter Jay & Mick Henry