MALDON Golf Club opened their Leslie F Wood Championship campaign with a home win over South Ockenden club Mardyke Valley.

Maldon’s men (right) performed superbly and were 4-1 up after the morning foursomes.

The pairing of Darren Mason and Ian Keen had a memorable win after being four down after six holes and recovering to win eight of the next nine to claim a four and three victory.

Leslie Wood debutants Tom Bownes and Richard Nash combined well and also secured a four and three victory.

Needing a total of eight points to win the match, Maldon set about the afternoon singles in a confident manner.

Sam Cummins romped to a nine and eight victory, Alan Buckingham won his match six and five and Mick Kempen played great golf to win his tie eight and six.

The singles went to Maldon by 6½ matches to 3½ and so the home club progressed to round two with a 10½-4½ victory.

Maldon also played in the first round of the Norman Plum Trophy, when they faced the Warren.

They battled to a hard-fought draw in the away matches with each team scoring 1½ points, however, the Warren won the matches played at Maldon 2-1 and so progressed to the next round with a 3½-2½ victory.

Maldon’s men also played in the first round of the Essex County Seniors knock-out with a home tie against Royal Epping.

The match comprised 11 singles matchplay ties and Maldon were victorious 6-5.

Their opponents in round two will be either Basildon or The Brentwood.

Maldon’s seniors also contested the Hector Hunt Trophy, which was won by James Marling with 32 points while seniors captain Eric Bane was second on 31.

FORRESTER PARK teams had mixed results during the week, starting with a narrow defeat in the first round of the Essex county senior team competition, by six games to five against Three Rivers.

Meanwhile, the ladies’ bronze team lost their first game by four games to three against Burnham.

The men’s Jubilee Cup team were beaten in the first match of the league phase of the competition, by seven games to two.

However, there was an excellent result at the weekend when the club’s Leslie Wood team beat The Burstead, 2015 champions, in the first round of the Essex County Leslie Wood men’s team competition.

The score after the morning foursomes was three games to two and this was increased to ten games to five with victory in seven of the ten afternoon singles.

The vets had a field of 76 for their April Medal, where Phil Prior was the gold division winner with nett 71.

A countback was needed to decide that David Gillespie was second, Bob Nice third and Chris Collins fourth, all with nett 72.

The silver division was won by Dale Rayner with the day's best round, nett 66.

Another countback was needed to decide that Richard Groves was second, Roy Davidson third and Stuart Wilson fourth, all with 73.

The bronze division was won by Dave Curtis, with nett 73, with Tony Hennessey second, with nett 74.

The ladies’ was a combined stableford won by Margaret Tristan and Carol Manning, with 55 points.

Jane Collier and Jane Ash took second, also with 55 points, beaten on countback.

Third were Val Cummins and Diana Ketley, on 52.

THREE RIVERS held their their spring meeting.

The competition was in stroke play format and the winner was Jan Tindale, with nett 74.

She was followed by Penny Blackmore (nett 79) and Caroline Crispin (nett 86).