NORFOLK’S senior golfers are in line for a East Anglian Senior League title showdown after a thrilling encounter with Northamptonshire.

Captain Iain Reid’s team staged an exciting comeback at Hunstanton Golf Club in an ebb and flow tussle that finally finished all square at 7.5-7.5.

The draw means that they will have destiny in their own hands when travelling to face old rivals Lincolnshire on September 23 at Blankney Golf Club. Norfolk are eager to reclaim the crown they last won in 2021 after Lincs pipped them for top spot in both of the last two seasons.

Reid’s men came up against stiff opposition in their latest match with Northamptonshire claiming a narrow 3-2 lead from the morning foursomes play.

Simon Butts struck early for the hosts in the singles session, but Northants appeared to be cruising to victory by taking the full share of points on offer in the subsequent three games.

In-form Mark Williamson started the fightback with a thumping win before team-mates Richard Oakes and Steve Dunshire registered further successes.

When Adrian Myhill claimed victory on the 16th green, all eyes turned to the final match left out the course featuring Norfolk stalwart Iain Yule and his opponent Tony Lord.

Yule had trailed for much of the head-to-head but rallied in stirring style down the stretch. In seeking the full point that Norfolk needed for an outright triumph, he fizzed a stunning iron to 12 feet on the 16th green that finally brought him back to all square.

With his opponent repeatedly in trouble down the penultimate hole, Yule managed to take a slender lead. But in a fitting finish to a high-class contest, Northants tail-ender Lord conjured a superb up-and-down from aside the last green to clinch a half-point that meant the two teams could not be split at the end of a brilliant day’s golf.

Reid said: “We were looking down and out for a while and our strength in depth really saw us through again. It was very, very tight at the end and emotionally it was up and down the whole way.

“Hunstanton’s finishing few holes are tough at the best of times and under that pressure it was great to see the guys come through. I thought it was a fair result, to be honest.

“We’ve got one match to go, against Lincolnshire. And it’s clear if we beat them, then we will win our league, which would be great.”

East Anglian Senior League

Foursomes (Norfolk players named first)

Simon Butts and Richard Oakes lost 3/2 v Ian Wicks and Dominic Ralts

Iain Reid and Steve Dunsire won 2/1 v Brendon Moss and Alan Freeman

Mark Williamson and Jon Batten  a/s v Andy Bilson and Dennis Mathers

Jim Mcleod and Adrian Myhill a/s v Tony Lord and Ian Hull

Iain Yule and Rob Webb lost by 1 hole v Roger Butler and Gary Grimmitt

Morning foursomes score: Norfolk 2 Northamptonshire 3

Singles

Butts won 3/2 v Moss

Reid lost 6/5 v Wicks

Mcleod lost 4/3 v Ralts

Batten lost 3/2 v Bilson

Williamson won  6/5 v Mathers

Oakes won 3/2 v Freeman

Dunsire  won 5/3 v Hull

Webb lost 3/2 v Grimmitt

Myhill  won 4/2 v Butler

Yule  a/s v Lord

Afternoon singles score: Norfolk 5.5 Northamptonshire 4.5

Match result: Norfolk 7.5 Northamptonshire 7.5 (Played at Hunstanton Golf Club)