There were mixed fortunes when this season's Essex Amateur Golf Union team competitions got underway with the staging of three preliminary round matches in the junior event for the Leslie F Wood Cup.

Basildon got off to a splendid start with an 11.5-3.5 home success over Top Meadow. However, Langdon Hills lost 10.5-4.5 at Warley Park and Castle Point suffered a narrow 8-7 reversal at Abridge.

Basildon saw the foundations for their success come in the morning foursomes, which they won 4-1.

Tony Mint and Martin Digby had a 3 and 1 success, while Glen Eastman and Steve Watson got home 5 and 4. With two further 4 and 1 successes the new towners were sitting pretty at lunchtime.

Although Digby lost the first afternoon singles match, three singles and a half soon saw Basildon through to their victory.

Basildon singles: A Mint won 6 and 5; S Way won 2 and 1; P Breathwick won 2 and 1; R Short won 3 and 2; D Lloyd won 7 and 6; J Harrison won 3 and 1, R Percival, S Watson and G Eastman all halved their matches.

Basildon now entertain Five Lakes in the first round on April 27.

Published Thursday, April 10, 2003

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