Eggo sole singles victor in Grouville thrashing

GUERNSEY took to Grouville arguably their most organised, prepared and, on paper, best ever team to face Jersey for the annual Challenge Trophy. But it did them no good.

The 16-4 scoreline highlights that Steve Turvey's men were quite simply outplayed and outclassed.

The visitors were up against it as early as the fourballs.

Jersey emerged from the opening section 4-1 ahead, four of the five matches going to the last and the other finishing on the 16th.

It was not the luckiest of days for the Sarnians and not the best of starts, but there was still an air of optimism with 15 points still available the following day.

But a win in the foursomes was vital to eat into the three-point deficit. It never came.

This time Jersey emerged 3-2 winners and were closing in on victory.

It could have been worse, too.

Had Trevor Gray not driven off the 18th tee with the match against Mick Marley and David Warr all-square, only to strike his trolley 250 yards away, Guernsey would probably have had half-a-point fewer. Under matchplay rules it meant loss of hole and a valuable point gifted to the Guernsey cause.

This left the Sarnians needing seven wins out of the 10 single matches, not an impossible ask at the off, but a very stiff one.

By the turn Guernsey were behind in all bar two matches and it was pride and damage limitation the green-and-whites were playing for. Defeat was inevitable.

Bobby Eggo proved to be the only ray of light for what was otherwise a dismal Sunday afternoon for Guernsey golf.

Eggo would lip out on the par four 11th for what could easily have been an emphatic 8 and 7 win over one of Jersey's elite, Richard Ramskill. Eggo won at the next, but by then the overall outcome was all but decided.

On the well-prepared Grouville links and slick greens, Jersey's men continued to display magnificent course management and superb touch.

Chip-ins and long putts were being holed with regularity by the reds and the genuinely good display of golf being produced by the Guernsey players, in what were difficult blustery conditions, was made to look rather ordinary at times.

A 9-1 singles defeat and a 16-4 drubbing did not take the smile of a sporting Steve Turvey's face who was proud of his team's commitment and effort.

'The boys knew it was going to be an uphill struggle as we had to get seven out of 10 singles to retain the trophy, but Jersey displayed excellent form throughout the whole team.

'All of their 10 players seemed well prepared by Terry Smith and all of them wanted to seek revenge for last year's defeat at L'Ancresse,' said Turvey.

*Full report to follow