Douit Dodgers bounce back with a big win

‘We needed that,’ was Dave Jeffery’s frank and honest assessment after his side’s 16-6 win at La Grande Mare on Monday evening.

Having suffered a heavy 19-2 defeat in their previous outing against the league-leading L’Ancresse Martellos, the ‘Double Ds’ knew that they must make home advantage count in their concluding two round-robin matches to have a chance of appearing in another final.

Part one of that mission is now completed.

To do it against the defending champions the day after returning from a draining weekend in Jersey for the Hampshire Sevens CI final made it all the more satisfying for the hosts, although they did not have everything their own way.

In the first of the two foursomes matches out, Mick Marley and Emile Thompson again combined to good effect for the Royals.

Their opponents, Ross Bateman and Isaac Bate, got off to the ideal start with a birdie at the first, but that early lead was quickly cancelled out with Thompson nearly holing his tee shot at the second.

By the time they had reached the turn, the Royals duo had opened up a four-hole lead and that became five after Thompson picked up a nearest-the-pin bonus on the 10th.

With every point vital in a tight league table, Bateman and Bate continued to fight hard and managed to extend the match beyond the 15th to prevent their opponents a winning bonus before Marley and Thompson closed out the match on 16.

The Royals, though, only managed to add one more point to their tally on the evening.

That came in the second foursomes clash, in which Jeffery joined forces with Ben Rolph to eventually get the better of Nigel Vaudin and Sean Mills.

It was close throughout and when Mills played a delightful chip on the 17th to secure a half, it deservedly earned his side at least a point.

However, being one down on the 18th, he opted to go for broke with driver and flew his ball straight into the douit to ease any nerves the home pair – for whom Jeffery had earlier added a nearest-the-pin bonus on the 10th – may have had.

The two singles contests were highly contrasting affairs, although both ended in LGM victories.

Wayne Harwood was involved in a real see-saw battle with Dave Robinson in which both players led at various points, but it was the former who reached the 17th leading by one.

His tee shot on that par three finished just short of the green while Robinson pulled his to the left and short-sided himself.

Attempting a parachute shot onto the green, Robinson left it short and was unable to save par while Harwood chipped up to 4ft and holed the putt to win the match.

By that stage, CJ Elmy had long since earned a maximum of seven points for his side with a comfortable 6 & 4 victory over Royals captain Tom Le Huray.

The LGM youngster claimed both available nearest-the-pin bonuses, finishing virtually identical distances – approximately 12ft – from the flag on both the third and 10th holes.

Despite the defeat, the Royals are still right in the hunt for a final place as they head into their final round-robin match against the Martellos next Monday.

A week later, the L’Ancresse GC team will visit La Grande Mare.

‘I imagine they will bring a very strong team down here for the last game and hopefully we will be at full strength as well,’ Jeffery said.

Results

(LGM names first)

Foursomes

Isaac Bate & Ross Bateman (0 pts) lost to Mick Marley & Emile Thompson (5) 3 & 2; Ben Rolph & Dave Jeffery (5) beat Nigel Vaudin & Sean Mills (1) 2 up.

Singles

Wayne Harwood (4) beat David Robinson (0) 2 & 1; CJ Elmy (7) beat Tom Le Huray (0) 6 & 4.

LGM Douit Dodgers 16, Rocque Balan Royals 6.