Bonus points prove crucial as Martellos take the title
LUCKY No. 7 came up trumps for L’Ancresse Martellos yesterday as they ended Rocque Balan Royals’ stranglehold on the Nedgroup Trust Limited Scratch League title.
In a predictably tight final in which both sides claimed one rubber each along with two halved matches, the nearest-the-pin bonuses proved vital and the Martellos’ clean-sweep of such points on the seventh hole made all the difference in their 14-10 victory.
Despite the north-easterly wind making the par-three particularly tricky from the top tee, L’Ancresse players mastered the conditions and all four points were taken with approaches that finished within 20ft of the hole.
From that terrific start, Steve Mahy’s men managed to keep themselves in front for the remainder of the final even those each rubber was hard-fought and had plenty of twists.
‘When I heard it was 4-0, I thought that was probably the first time that’s happened ... obviously that’s counted in our favour today,’ said Martellos captain Mahy of his team’s performance on that seventh hole.
Mahy also admitted his wait to get his hands on the trophy had been too long.
‘Something we should have done before, but it’s always nice to win something,’ he said.
‘We’ve played well this year. I think the team’s gelled well with a couple of new additions, so it’s been brilliant.
‘After last weekend, winning the De La Rue and getting that monkey off our back having not won that for five years, I was quite confident – victories breed confidence.
‘I suppose we have got strength in depth – Danny Blondel was not available today, but Jamie was back – we have pulled some guys in and it’s worked.
‘We know on paper we are as good as they are but we haven’t proved it [in recent years], so it’s nice to do it.’
More in Monday's Guernsey Press.
