Norfolk men’s golf teams met with disappointment against Northamptonshire in their latest Anglian League fixtures.

The first team lost 4-8 away at Collingtree Park and the seconds suffered a frustrating 5.5-6.5 defeat at Royal Norwich.

Northamptonshire first team built the platform for their victory in the morning foursomes, which ended up 3.5-0.5 to the hosts.

But Norfolk had their chances with two of their combinations ending up empty-handed after holding slender leads down the stretch.

Nic Sperrin and Scott Wright secured a half-point – the only visitors’ pairing to claim anything from the morning play.

The singles matches appeared to be similarly favouring Northants, but Norfolk summoned some spirited resistance.

Brandon Hobley went 4-down early on before emerging with a half-point and Callum Rana hung tough to close out a win on the final green.

Scott Wright’s putter blew hot as he beat former Norfolk captain Chris White, now back playing for Northamptonshire.

And Nic Sperrin’s stellar rookie season in Norfolk’s first team continued with a fine 3 and 1 victory.

Norfolk’s non-playing captain Nic Cains said: “I think we should have got more out of the foursomes session and the lunchtime deficit was probably not a fair reflection of the morning’s play.

“We were in a difficult position going into the singles but showed a lot of fight in those matches.

“Several lads fought back after falling behind and on another day we might have made it a lot closer. But over the course of the day Northants got their win by just out-birdieing us at key times.”

At Royal Norwich, a young Norfolk seconds side grabbed the upper hand in the foursomes, closing out the morning’s golf with a 3-1 advantage.

Debutants Theo Pudney and James Tipling caught the eye with some stunning shots, battling to a 2 and 1 win.

Fellow newcomer Tom Mathers also impressed as he partnered Luke Johnson to a thrilling last-green success.

Darren Abbs and Josh Weeds dovetailed superbly in closing out a comfortable 5 and 3 triumph.

It was a different story in the afternoon as the visitors came out all guns blazing. Even so, blossoming Sheringham teenager Pudney landed a second win of the day to keep alive home hopes.

Johnson also did his best, making a battling birdie down the last to add a half-point to the tally.

The final two matches were all square on the 18th tee with Norfolk needing to turn both of them into full points.

Abbs made par to half his match and Weeds’ eight-foot birdie putt to win broke across the face of the cup and stubbornly stayed above ground to leave Northants as fine-margin victors.

Norfolk County Golf Union team manager Alex Piccolo said: “We played so much good golf throughout the day and Theo, Tom and James all did especially well on their second-team debuts.

“It’s just that two per cent here or one per cent there that is denying us the victory I believe is coming.”

Norfolk first team: Brandon Hobley, Sean Rafferty, Callum Rana, Tom Rutherford, Scott Sealey, Nic Sperrin, Matt Strudwick, Scott Wright.

Norfolk second team:  Darren Abbs, Ryan Clarke, Luke Johnson, Tom Mathers, Pete Murphy, Theo Pudney, James Tipling, Josh Weeds