Bradley Hall pair romp to victory

Six-handicapper Hopkinson and Popps, who plays off 20, came in with 45 Stableford points - at least five more than all the other 57 pairs from the Halifax and Huddersfield area.

They made the most of spring-like conditions - sunshine and occasional cloud with a light breeze which had died out by mid-afternoon.

Crow Nest Park’s Mark Campbell (7) and Richard Langley-Webb (10) were best of the rest, taking second place in the am-am section on a back nine count-back from Bradley Hall’s Clive McFadzean (4) and Andrew Guest (12).

Two of the next three pairs on 39 points were also from the home club.

The pro-am section was very tightly contested with two points covering the top seven.

The joint winners on 40 points were Joe Lester and Oliver Shaw (5) and Bob Booth and Chris L’Estrange (12), all from Crosland Heath.

Ex-Bradley Hall junior organiser Booth made the most of his course knowledge and had an eagle on the par five eighth.

The green-keepers had been hard at work on the course with many new ditches in evidence, although there were still plenty of wet areas.

The greens had been “ironed” and were quite fast but the uneven colouring of the grass made it difficult to get a good read.

There were 12 nett eagles, four of them at the par 4 14th.

The next Alliance is at Meltham on Tuesday, March 24.

Pro-am: 1, Joe.Lester Pro & O.Shaw 5 (Crosland Heath) 40 pts; 1, R.Booth Pro & C.L’Estrange 12 (Crosland Heath) 40; 3, C.Hanson Pro & G.Shuttleworth 9 (Ind Woodsome Hall/Bradley Hall) 39; 3, J.Ward Pro & F.Barron 5 (Dewsbury) 39; 3, R.Lambert Pro & L.Dyson 14 (Crosland Heath) 39; 6 R.Stansfield Pro & V.Lee 15 (Bradley Park/Ryburn) 38; 6, S.Race Pro & D.Utasi 17 (Meltham) 38; 8, N.P.Hirst Pro & B.Binns 11 (Dewsbury) 36; 9, Josh.Lester Pro & L.Pilkington 1 (Bradley Park/Crosland Heath) 34; 9, T.Wild Pro & E.Sechi 16 (Bradley Park/Outlane 34; 11, D.Arber Pro & G.Thornton 20 (West End) 30.

Am-am: 1, S.Hopkinson 6 & R.Popps 20 (Bradley Hall) 45 pts; 2, M.Campbell 7 & R.Langley-Webb 10 (Crow Nest Park) 40; 3, C.McFadzean 4 & A.Guest 12 (Bradley Hall) 40; 4, J.Smith Scr & A.Shaw Scr (Bradley Hall) 39; 4, P.Toon 15 & D.Parker 12 (Bradley Hall) 39; 4, R.Barker 14 & T.Garrett 1 (Crosland Heath) 39; 7, B.Cassidy 12 & L.Campey 20 (Outlane) 38; 7, M.Demsey 11 & P.Newey 14 (Ind Huddersfield) 38; 7, C.Holmes 6 & M.Maude 5 (Meltham) 38; 7, T.Hunt 3 & J.Fish 4 (Meltham) 38; 7, A.Crum 1 & J.Main 15 (Dewsbury) 38; 12, D.Hartley Scr & J.Binns 5 (Dewsbury) 37; 13, P.Reynolds 13 & J.Lawton 6 (Outlane) 36; 14, E.Howker 17 & P.Hesselden 12 (Bradley Hall) 35; 14, J.Smith 14 & M.Clowery 15 (Outlane/Longley Park) 35; 14, S.J.Wilkinson 14 & K.Ellis 14 (Bradley Hall) 35; 14, N.Day 6 & D.Wilson 5 (Crow Nest Park) 35; 14, P.Ratcliffe 5 & I.Hunter 8 (Hanging Heaton) 35; 19, K.Puckering 15 & R.Wilson 17 (Outlane) 34; 19, S.Hitchenor 8 & A.Wallis 8 (Crosland Heath) 34; 19, M.Colley 6 & P.Jackson 7 (Dewsbury) 34; 19, D.Campbell 5 & A.Hirst 13 (Meltham) 34; 23, D.McAuliffe 19 & C.Taylor 14 (Crow Nest Park) 33; 23, M.Walker 14 & I.Ainley 16 (Outlane) 33; 23, D.Mitcheson 13 & P.Ford 17 (Bradley Park/Outlane) 33; 23, D.Clitheroe 10 & A.Hewitt 18 (Hebden Bridge) 33; 23, G.Ward 6 & M.Hanson 12 (Bradley Park) 33; 28, M.Holdroyd 15 & D.Shaw 20 (Bradley Hall) 32; 28, H.Bradley 13 & A.S.Wormold 20 (Elland/Bradley Hall) 32; 30, R.Badrock 15 & M.Wilson 17 (Castlefields) 31; 30, R.T.Owen 13 & P.Crosse 14 (Crosland Heath) 31; 30, D.Oldham 12 & J.Crosland 8 (Meltham) 31; 30, E.Casper 10 & J.Morris 18 (Outlane) 31; 30, N.Paxman 8 & T.Baier 13 (Meltham) 31; 30, R.Hanson 6 & G.Newton 8 (Crosland Heath) 31; 36, A.Brown 18 & R.Lurc 16 (Bradley Park) 30; 36, A.Stringer 10 & P.Smith 20 (Bradley Park) 30; 38, E.Pearson 19 & M.Russell 19 (Crosland Heath) 29; 38, R.T.Williams 12 & R.Pearson 18 (Bradley Hall) 29; 38, R.Wimpenny 12 & S.Whitham 12 (Crosland Heath) 29; 38, P.Heywood 11 & K.Bruce 20 (Marsden) 29; 38, N.Hirst 11 & D.Knapton 11 (Outlane 29); 43, H.Bailey 14 & R.Ely 20 (Dewsbury) 27; 44, D.Rollinson 12 & L.Carman 15 (West End) 26; 45, R.Sharp 20 & D.Phare 18 (Outlane) 25; 45, P.Walker 8 & G.Atkin 9 (Outlane) 25; 47, C.Hoyle 11 & K.Weatherill 9 (Hebden Bridge) 24.