BURY were beaten 5-2 by Chester in the first round of the Longman Cup.

Captain Mac Hardman and Bob Whittle lost the morning doubles game by 10 hoops while Graham Saunders lost by 16 and Andy Brandwood lost his first game of the season by 17.

In the afternoon, Hardman and Brandwood and Saunders and Whittle lost.

In the Golf Croquet League, Bury North drew 9-9 with Southport. Bury lost both doubles games in the morning but Mick Sandiford once again won three out of four of his singles games, before Jill Freely saved the day by winning the golden hoop on the last shot of the day.

In midweek, Bury went to Southport and won 4-3. Bury South’s won 11-7 at Fylde, giving some cheer as it rained nearly all day.

The star of the team was Ken Eccles who won all four of his singles games whilst Judith Gaskell, Margaret Eccles and Derek Deadman each won two of their games.

The doubles games were split. Bury member, Paul Rigge, was runner-up at the Crake Valley Advanced tournament in the Lake District.

Meanwhile, Matt Holmes achieved the Croquet Association Gold Award for his first tournament triple peel at the Pendle Advanced tournament, then proved it was no fluke by achieving two further triples over the two days.