Bransford’S latest outing in the seniors’ winter league saw them suffer a 4½-1½ defeat at Bewdley’s Wharton Park.

In near-ideal conditions, several of the matches were closely-fought, but the hosts made home advantage count.

Bransford’s previous match at Burlish Park proved to be quite a cliff-hanger and finished in a tie.

The host club looked as if they might secure victory when they took a 3-1 advantage, but Bransford came back with wins in the last two matches to force a 3-3 draw.

The second leg of the seniors’ stableford league produced some reasonable scores in spite of soggy conditions underfoot.

The winner in Division One was Trevor Atkinson, whose 38 points saw off Bob McGrath and Richard Steele, who both returned 36.

In Division Two, Andy Falconer picked up 39 points and first place, four ahead of Neil Sheldon and Martin Saunders, who both finished with 35.

The course was again soft underfoot for the seniors’ December medal when the competitors also had to contend with a squally wind.

It didn’t hinder Charlie Payne as he secured a nett 71, while top spot in Division Two was also closely-fought with Robin Brighton winning by three strokes with a nett 93.

Results; Seniors’ winter league, Wharton Park 4½-1½ Bransford (Bransford names first): Alan Wallcroft and Harry Godwin lost to Eddie Gardner and Terry Allsop one-down; Roy Williams and John Phillips beat Bob Marshall and Alan Bishop two-up; Atkinson and Sheldon lost to Peter Mauger and Peter Dobson 2&1; Tony Robinson and Adrian Wood lost to Bryan Wooding and Brian Wellsbury 3&2; Iain Elrick and Peter Harrison lost to Dave Slade and John Enderbury 5&4; Mike Davidge and Martin Saunders halved with Barry Lucas and Colin Hammond.

Burlish Park 3-3 Bransford (Bransford names first): Wallcroft and Bill Bowen beat Gordon Taylor and Phil Webster 6&5; Jeff Thomas and Wood lost to Mick Hodges and Clive Burrows 4&2; Elrick and Brighton lost to Brian Revill and Tony Shaw 4&3; Godwin and Phillips lost to Stuart Manser and George Smith 3&2; Davidge and Williams beat Nigel Turner and Malcolm Guest one-up; Ian Hamilton and Sheldon beat Mike Bradley and Alan Rollinson one-up.

Seniors’ December medal, Division One: 1 Payne (84-13-71); 2 Anne Hamilton (94-21-73); 3 Ivor Lloyd (94-19-75).

Division Two: 1 Brighton 92-23-70; 2 Saunders (96-22-74); 3 Roy Mayo (99-25-74).

Main club’s December medal, Division One: 1 Rich Ryder (81-12-69); 2 Stephen Rhodes (83-13-70); 3 Andrew Lammas (78-6-72).

Division Two: 1 David Randle (89-19-70); 2 Adrian Bond (85-15-70); 3 Steve Wong (86-15-71).