It was a case of unlucky 13 for Bury Golf Club Seniors last week when they opened their Lancashire County Red Rose League campaign with a visit to last season’s joint winners Fishwick Hall.

Last year, Fishwick inflicted a 12-2 defeat on Bury with the scoreline surprisingly reversed when the Preston side came to Bury. A 13-1 reversal for the 13-man Bury side on this occasion was not the best way to kick off the new season.

However it was the home side who proved much the stronger this time around with local knowledge proving invaluable on a wet and dismal day.

Only Michael Howarth and David Johnson recorded a point for the visitors, tying their match with S Jones and T Hillenhurst on the 18th green. Special mention must go to Ged Eckersley who came into the side as a last-minute replacement and found himself forced to play on his own due to the non-arrival of his playing partner. Ged battled magnificently against the odds only to lose a titanic struggle against R Ollerton and L Hatton on the 17th. The Unsworth Hall visit Hurleston Hall next Tuesday before kicking off their home programme.