On a dry autumn day, the players took to the fairways. The morning matches did not go well for the Forty Club. Ian Edwards and Daryn Williams secured a comfortable win and Richard Freedman and Nick Ray a vital half but Ashridge led by 3.5 to 1.5.
At lunch, Mike Keenan remembered players on both sides who were no longer with us but had played in this fixture – Carl Goldsmith, Tony Colbeck, Adrian Champion and Ian Westwater. A special mention was made of Doug Adams who passed away in February, an Ashridge member of many years standing and the Forty Club Captain, 2019 -21, who is greatly missed. Good wishes from all were sent to Mike Lee who is living with dementia. Mike was instrumental in setting up this fixture and our Captain in 2015-16 and another Ashridge stalwart.
A Medina-like recovery was required in the afternoon matches, but the top match was lost and things were looking desperate. However, the middle order all won their matches to level the state of the match and with Nick Ray and Daryn Williams winning one up on the 18th green, the Forty Club sealed an unlikely victory, 5.5 to 4.5. A first win for the new Captain, Chris Greet.
Finbarr O’Connor, Match Manager
