Gloucester and Somerset triumph again
07/04/2016
Gloucester and Somerset scored a convincing 9.5 to 5.5 win against Devon at Torquay to move into a 2-1 lead in the overall series of games.
Although neither team was at full strength, both still assembled two strong sides on a windy and chilly day on the English Riviera.
The visitors claimed the morning foursomes 3-2 after the top pairing of Ed Goodwin and Ross Langdon beat Paul Hendriksen and Richard Woods 3 and 2. But the match was soon levelled when the Barry Austin and Tom Jessamine partnership defeated Giuseppe Licata and Paul Ryder by the same score.
The next two games were halved before captain Robin Goodey and Nick Ellis put their side ahead with a 3 and 2 win over Martin Ruth and Harry Mayers.
Langdon dominated the top singles against PGA champion Hendriksen by 7 and 6. Licata followed with an 18th hole victory against Austin. This was swiftly followed by further wins on the 15th green for Goodwin and Paul Barrington against Woods and Jessamine.
Devon captain Jason Fullard rallied his side by beating Ryder while captain-elect Ali Welsher against Kevin Pitts and Harry Mayers against Andrew March also added points.
When Ben Martin won the closing hole to ensure a battling half with Scott Thompson, G&S needed only another half point for victory.
But Ellis and Goodey finished in style against Connor Jenkins and Ruth to wrap up the singles 5.5-3.5 to ensure a four point team win.
