Northampton have been promoted into the top flight of the Scratch League without having to hit a ball over the weekend after closest rivals Collingtree Park lost 6½-1½ at Kingsthorpe in division two.
Gavin Hitchcock (8&7), Max Armstrong (3&1), Steve Jackson (5&4) and Jake Croxford (4&3) grabbed points for the hosts, before Kris Spence sealed victory with a half.
Jason Spence added another Kingsthorpe win on the 18th hole, while Collingtree’s hopes of picking up at least one individual win were dashed as both the final two matches finished all square.
Anglian League
Northamptonshire’s men secured a double over Lincolnshire on Sunday as the first team smashed the 2012 League champions 9-3 at Overstone Park GC, while the reserves won 8-4 at Kenwick Park GC.
After losing at Norfolk in their last outing, the first team made a solid start as Paul Hodgkiss (Farthingstone) and Lewis White (Northampton) halved the opening tie.
Ryan Evans (Wellingborough) and debutante Dan Ashcroft (Northants County) won the next foursomes game on the 18th hole.
Despite a defeat for Michael Campbell (Kettering) and Kyson Lloyd (Wellingborough), county champ Jack Brown (Brampton Heath) and home club member Harry Woan gave Northants a narrow lead at lunch.
Once Evans birdied the last two holes to snatch a half in the first singles match, the hosts carried the momentum through the afternoon as Hodgkiss, Lloyd and White earned tight victories.
Although Ashcroft was beaten 2&1, the home county completed an emphatic victory thanks to comfortable wins from Campbell, Woan and Brown.
Northamptonshire’s second team were arguably even more impressive as they recorded their first Anglian League victory on Lincolnshire soil in recent history.
Despite losing the opening two foursomes ties, debutantes Ryan Connolly (Wellingborough) and Nick Herridge (Brampton) got the county on the scoreboard with a 2&1 success.
James Barker (Overstone) and Miles Mudge (Staverton) levelled the match with a one-hole victory, before Northamptonshire took control in the afternoon singles.
Matt Hodgkiss (Farthingstone), Bob Clayton (Cold Ashby) and Fraser Carnihan (Brampton) grabbed convincing wins, while Connolly enhanced his reputation with a 3&2 success.
Despite a narrow loss for Herridge, whose opponent won the last three holes with some stunning golf, the county eased to victory thanks to wins for Mudge and Barker.
Seniors
Northamptonshire Seniors warmed up for their crucial Anglian League match with Suffolk next week by defeating Warwickshire 14-4 at Cherwell Edge GC.
After winning four of the six morning greensomes ties, the county displayed their battling qualities in the afternoon fourballs as they halved two games before winning the last four on the 18th hole.
Northants face unbeaten leaders Suffolk at Peterborough Milton GC on Wednesday (July 17) knowing anything less than victory will bring to end their hopes of retaining the Anglian title.
Intermediate League
Group A
Kingsthorpe strengthened their position at the top of the Group A table as they secured a 5-3 home victory against bottom side Collingtree Park.
Adam Bly (6&5), Louis Wixon (4&3), Peter Scott (8&7) and Ian Townsend (4&2) recorded home wins, while Anton Clarke and Kev Purkis picked up halves.
Philip Read (5&4) and Chris Malton (two holes) collected points for Collingtree, who are still searching for their first victory of the campaign.
Group B
Kettering ended a disappointing campaign on a high as they collected their first victory of the year with a battling one-point win at Northampton.
Although Richard Ashcroft took the opener for Kettering, the hosts responded with comfortable wins for David Goldman and Steve Eborall, before Gary Slinn added another home point on the 16th.
The visitors showed their determination as Andy Robinson, Steve Ashcroft and Tim Dawson collected points, before Marcel Aarts halved the last tie with Northampton’s Gareth Parker to secure the win.
Handicap League
Group B
Collingtree moved into pole position in devastating style as they recorded a 25-0 home success against overnight pacesetters Silverstone.
Stan Hall and Robert Smout set the tone with a four-hole win in the first game as Tony Greenhill and Robert Horton (five holes) and Alasdair Gibson and Craig Hartwright (two holes) extended the lead.
Two more home wins followed before Samuel McGimpsey and Craig Collins wrapped up a fourth team victory in five outings by taking the final match by nine holes.
Cherwell Edge’s strong tail proved vital in their home contest with Daventry as they completed a 28-2 victory.
After narrow defeats in the opening couple of games, the visitors reduced the deficit to just a single hole thanks to a win from Kevin Tarbox and Joe Laws (two holes).
That was as good as it got for Daventry as Terry Jackson and John Carruthers recorded a 10-hole home win in the next game, before Cherwell took the last two ties by eight and seven holes respectively.
Group C
Embankment held on for their first victory of the season as they edged a tight home contest with Oundle 8-6.
Despite suffering three whitewash losses in their opening three contests, Embankment made a confident start as Pete Crawley and Charles Galvin took the opening game by two holes.
Although the hosts extended their advantage to 8-0 by taking the next three matches, Oundle won game five by two holes before taking the last tie by four to fall just short of Embankment’s total.
Group D
Three huge pairs wins made the difference for Farthingstone as they secured their fourth victory in four home outings with a 22-2 success over Delapre.
Liam Matthews and John Whittaker won the first tie by six holes, Peter Butterwick and Paul Burrows finished nine up in the next, while John Bridgwood and Duncan Tucker took the fifth match by seven.
Delapre were very competitive in the remaining matches against the group leaders as they took both the fourth and six ties by one hole and halved game three.