Ashton double bid is on

GOLF:  

ASHTON stayed on course for double success after victories over North Manchester in the Oldham Golf League cup semi-finals.

Their ‘A’ team won 3-2 over the neutral fairways of the new-look Fairfield, while in the ‘B’ Cup, Danny Andrews’ charges kept their own league and cup double dreams on track when winning by the same score at Blackley.

Andy Lomas’ ‘A’ team will meet Blackley ‘A’ in the final after they beat Werneth ‘A’ 3-2 at Hurst Cross, while the other ‘B’ Cup finalists are Brookdale ‘B’, who overcame Blackley ‘B’ 3.5-1.5 at North Manchester.

In the league, Saddleworth ‘B’ kept alive their slim hopes of making the play-offs with a 6-2 home victory over Oldham ‘B’. The Mountain Ash team have one more home game in hand and are nine points behind second-placed Oldham with two full weeks of the season to be played.

Oldham’s defeat means Blackley ‘B’ are also very much in the picture — just a point behind in third with Stamford still top, three ahead.



CROMPTON and Royton’s competition for the prestigious Hall Cup, which was scheduled to take place on Saturday, was cancelled due to flooding at the course. It has been rearranged for Saturday, October 3.



SIMON Craig has only been a member at Ashton since last year, but he has already written his name into the club’s books with an amazing pair of holes-in-one in under two weeks!

Simon, an 11-handicapper, said: “I had three aces in my 35 years of golf before I joined Ashton, but I was finding it a tough course playing off 11.

“Then, playing in the club’s pro-am with David Shacklady, I notched an ace on the fourth hole, a tough 210 yards.

“Then in the President’s first round, none of us were playing well and Chris Sherlock urged me to put my tee shot in the hole again. It pitched on the green and rolled in!. We couldn’t believe it!”



JIMMY Lister was given a fond farewell by Oldham’s members after his three and a half year stint as club professional.

Lister, the new professional at Marple, feels his new post will help him to expand his tuition and retail business. He has played since he was 12, first at Denton where he won junior opens and majors on the way to a two handicap.

He worked as an assistant pro at the same course and turned pro at 19. He moved to Oldham from Denton in 2012.

“I was given great support by the members and I’m grateful to them all,” he said.