NIC Sperrin was the major positive as he went unbeaten on his debut as Norfolk suffered a heavy defeat to Lincolnshire in their Anglian League opener at Spalding Golf Club.

Sperrin, 27, and playing partner Simon Clark finished all square with their opponents in the morning foursomes, which Lincolnshire convincingly took 3.5-0.5.

Eaton golfer Sperrin continued to play well in the afternoon, registering Norfolk’s solitary head-to-head victory.

He fought hard from start to finish against Simon Richardson in a tussle that went right down to the wire.

Richardson threatened a comeback in the closing stages but Sperrin kept his nerve and sank a three-footer on the final green to close out a thrilling 1-up triumph.

Clark also displayed his customary battling qualities against Sam Moyses, eventually claiming his second half-point of the day.

In other keenly-contested match-ups, the visitors narrowly ended up on the wrong side of the result.

But Norfolk County Golf Union captain Nic Cains saw plenty of promising signs, despite the overall 2-10 loss.

Cains said: “I think the boys have done well. If you look at the score-sheet there were a lot of tight games that could have gone either way. Halfway through the afternoon, the singles score was 4.5-3.5.

“Everyone played solidly – Lincolnshire just putted a bit better than we did. They just holed a few more of those 10 and 15-footers – and I think that was the only difference.

“Overall the team pulled together well and there was a lot of spirited play. They all dug deep.

“Nic Sperrin’s debut was nice to see and for him to beat Simon Richardson on his home course was a really impressive result.”

Next weekend Norfolk return to Lincolnshire for the Eastern Counties Foursomes, which is staged annually at Seacroft Golf Club.

Norfolk’s second team lost out 3-9 to their Lincolnshire counterparts at Bawburgh Golf Club. They were outplayed in the foursomes, trailing 0-4 ahead at lunchtime.

But the afternoon singles proved much more competitive with Sean Rafferty, Josh Weeds and Luke Johnson all recording wins.

Norfolk Under-14s were also in league action, playing a triangular with hosts Middlesex and Bedfordshire at Fulwell Golf Club.

Norfolk County Golf Union development officer Sammy Martin was delighted with the young Lions, who beat Middlesex but were edged by Bedfordshire, the on-the-day top points-scorers.

Anglian League result

Norfolk 1st team 2 Lincolnshire 10 (Played at Spalding Golf Club)

Foursomes (Norfolk players named first)

Carl Green and Josh Chamberlin lost 4&3 to Sam Whitaker and Matt Haynes  

Simon Clark and Nic Sperrin A/S v Adam Wainwright and Scott Frisby

Callum Rana and Tom Rutherford lost 4&3 to Simon Richardson and Sam Moyses

Scott Wright and Matt Strudwick lost 2&1 to Jack Diment and Sam Done

Singles

Green lost 1-down to Whitaker

Chamberlin lost 2&1 to Haynes

Clark A/S v Moyses

Sperrin won 1-up v Richardson

Rutherford lost 3&2 to Frisby

Rana lost 3&2 to Done

Strudwick lost 2-down v Wainwright

Wright lost 3&1 to Diment