HARWOOD Golf Club set up a possible Bury and District Golf Association title treble after Graham Martin won the seniors championship.

Martin claimed victory after beating Jeff Bennett, of Breightmet, 2&1 in the final.

He followed up Clare Macleod's 4&3 win to secure the ladies' title the previous weekend.

Martin, Bennett, Harwood's Joe Donnelly and Steve Monkhouse, of Breightmet, made the last four, where they were involved in two tight matches.

The eventual winner held off a determined challenge from Monkhouse to win his semi-final on the 19th hole, while Bennett claimed a 2&1 victory over Donnelly.

Harwood had home advantage in this week's men's championship, of which there will be a full report in next week's Bury Times.

Elsewhere, Bury Seniors continue to climb away from the foot of the Lancashire County Red Rose League following decent points hauls at Darwen and at home to second-placed Deane.

They lost 8-6 to Darwen, but earned a creditable result after a late rally on a notoriously difficult course for visitors.

Captain Jimmy Pilkington and former skipper Stan Horne started the day with a victory on the final hole before Darwen reeled off four straight wins.

Undaunted, Ged Eckersley and Stuart Hindley won 5&4 and Paul Wilcock and John Latham also claimed victory on the 14th green to cut the deficit.

Bury then showed great spirit to beat Deane10-4 – the upset of the weekend.

The match started off nip and tuck, with Deane cancelling out wins for Pilkington and Ian Marsh (7&6) and Jimmy Hardman and Mike Howarth (2&1).

But Bury closed out the match with three consecutive wins from Alan Green and Latham (4&3), Brian Little and Gordon Swinnerton (1up) and Colin Duckworth and Eckersley (6&4).