A TRIP to the Cotswolds proved fruitful for the Bransford duo of Dave Randle and Les Clarke.

Competing against 35 other pairs in the Naunton Downs senior pairs open, they came out on top with a haul of 44 points in the better-ball stableford event.

Twenty-handicapper Clarke was previously a member at Naunton before joining Bransford but Randle (19) had not played the course before.

Their day got even better when, together with Naunton seniors’ captain Gervaise McKinley and his playing partner Andy Smith, they also won the Bowmaker prize as the best team of four on the day.

Back at Bransford, Mario Eastham managed to ease to victory in the seniors’ Norman Taylor Memorial Trophy.

The 20-handicapper was the only player to reach 40 points in the stableford off the yellow tees and saw off nearest challenger Ferey Ghani (14 handicap), who was just one behind.

Malcolm Bradley (28) scored 38, Dick Bettsworth (26) and Roy Williams (19) 37, Trevor Atkinson (13), John Phillips (21) and Andy Falconer (24) 36, and Lee Dyment (19), Martin Saunders (23), Pauline Wetton (26), Dave Miller (21), Tony Lee (16), Andy Lamb (24) and Ken Jones (21) 35.

Williams was also in good form in the fifth round of the seniors’ summer league, winning Division One with 39 points.

He was two ahead of Lee and four ahead of Jeff Thomas (16).

Division Two went to Miller on 38 with Richard Holding (21) runner-up on 35 and Saunders third on 33.

There was a terrific tussle in Division Three when John Burrow (28) just pipped Rob Walker (25) on count-back just after they both notched up 40.

Bradley scored 35 and Alan Rowberry (25), Mike Kemp (28) and Bettsworth 34.

The consistent Bransford seniors are right back in the winning groove in their club matches, beating Wharton Park 4½-2½ and Evesham 5-1 at home for 19 wins from 22 matches.

Against Wharton Park, Phillips and Ian Hamilton (12) won 3&1, Ghani and Peter Harrison (24) 3&1, Thomas and Roger Clark (21) 2&1 and Mike Davidge (17) and Bettsworth 6&4.

Harry Godwin (16) and Alan Wallcroft (21) lost 6&4 and Brian Lawrence (20) and Mike Holmes (28) 3&2, while Williams and Neil Sheldon (23) halved.

Against Evesham, Phillips and Williams won two-up, Godwin and Clark one-up, Dyment and Harrison 4&3, Hamilton and Miller 4&3 and Davidge and Robin Brighton 4&3. Ghani and Lawrence lost 2&1.