It is the nature of five-pair knockout tournaments that games are often won by small margins – and so is the case with the inaugural 2022 British Inter-Clubs Mixed Team Championships.
As the second round concluded this week with a series of exciting clashes, several games were decided by just one rubber.
Such was the case in Surrey and Hampshire as Camberley Heath edged Sunbury GC 3-2 as did Romsey GC in their clash with Burley GC.
In the Midlands, the same score separated victors Newcastle under Lyme GC A, who pipped Ingestre Park GC, Nottinghamshire’s Beeston Fields GC, who edged out Erewash Valley GC and Derby GC who defeated Burton on Trent GC.
Further north, Scarborough South Cliff GC also edged Beverley and East Riding GC 3-2 and Stocksfield GC enjoyed a 3-2 away victory against City of Newcastle GC.
And in Lancashire, Rochdale GC achieved the same result against Dean Wood GC and will now visit Fleetwood GC, who edged Longridge GC 3-2.
In the south west, Devon’s Stover GC pipped Cornwall’s Lanhydrock GC 3-2 while a single rubber was also all that separated Cambridgeshire’s Girton GC and Norfolk’s Eaton GC.
Next up for Girton is another home tie, this time against Suffolk’s Links GC, who also edged their way to a 3-2 victory against Essex’ Rayleigh GC while Bedfordshire GC also enjoyed a tight win against county neighbours Cainhoe Wood GC.
Not all games had such nailbiting finishes with 4-1 victories for Cheshire’s Vale Royal Abbey GC over North Wales’ Mold GC 4-1, Leicestershire’s Beedles Lake GC against county rivals Glen Gorse GC 4-1, Billingham GC over Consett GC and Woolley Park GC against Howley Hall GC.
In Scotland, Perthshire’s Muthill GC defeated Montrose Mercantile GC 4-1 and will now travel to Dalmahoy GC who edged Castle Douglas GC.
In two of the most impressive results of the round, Belton Park GC travelled to their Lincolnshire neighbours Forest Pines GC and won 5-0 while Northamptonshire County GC completed a 5-0 victory against Overstone Park GC as did another top 100 club Stoneham GC against Ryde GC.