Dorset County

Dorset V Kent 2017

Rochester and Cobham Golf Club was the venue for our 3^rd east league match with our opponents being Kent. Those selected for this match were, Andy Rideout, Matthew Sandy, Harry Mitchell, Brad Cox and Luke Hirst, Robbie Mabb, Sean Dimmick and Callum Ward.

1^st to set the pace in the morning foursomes were Dudsbury GC duo of Rideout and Hirst who through 15 holes played consistently to ensure they had a chance to take the win. Unfortunately a couple of loose shots near to the end meant they shook hands with their opponents on the 17^th green. Experienced players Mabb and Mitchell couldn’t peg back their early loss of holes and after being 4 down after 7 lost their match 5 and 4. Old junior pairing of Cox and ward rekindled their partnership and were looking set for a positive result until a late loss of holes proved too much to rectify and they lost 2 and 1. In the final pairing were sandy and Dimmick who had success as a pairing at South West Week but couldn’t match that form in the session. They had an early loss of holes and again didn’t have the time to turn the match around in their favour and they lost 3 and 2.

Dorset 0 – Kent 4

Lunch

After a good lunch and time to reflect on the mornings play a positive approach was needed in the afternoon. Rideout lead the team out and after being down in most of his match found some form to get himself onto the last green with a chance to get a half. This wasn’t to be and unfortunately the tone was set for the afternoon. Following on from Rideout were loses for Sandy 3 and 2, Mabb 4 and 3, and a heavy 8 and 7 defeat meant that Cox went out on the 11^th green. Our number 5 match was ward who looked in a tight dual all afternoon never moving from all square until losing the 17^th hole, This was 1 hole to many to get back and a par at the last wasn’t enough to get himself a halved match. Hirst and Micthell also lost their matches 3 and 2 and 4 and 2 so it was left to Sean Dimmick to block the path of the likely scenario of a whitewash. Much like ward he was locked in an all square battle until managing to get 1 up with 2 to go, a birdie from his opponent ensured a final hole shoot out and with both players on the green in 2 and 60 feet away it was now a putting contest. Dimmick left his 1^st put 8 feet short with his Kent opponent slipping his putt 3 feet by. When Sean missed is second putt the match result was now out of our hands. Fortunately for us our Kent opponent missed the 3 footer meaning Dimmick managed the only ½ point of the day for Dorset.

Final Score Dorset ½ - Kent 11 ½

I would like to thank the team for all the effort they put in but it just wasn’t their day. A defeat at this level can only make us stronger and we head to Dudsbury to play Sussex in 4 week’s time. Game on.

Tom Leech

County Captain

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