PHILIP Brookes, the professional at The Grove, scored his second win of the season in the Shropshire and Herefordshire Alliance winter series when he posted 38 stableford points to win the professional section at Patshull Park.

His win in the fourth meeting of the season also took him to 270 points and pole position for the Leonard Trophy, awarded to the leader of the order of merit at the end of the series.

The amateur prize was won by Mike Woodward, of Shrewsbury, with 39 points, and the host club's B team won the team prize with 115 points, four clear of their A team.

n Herefordshire GC seniors had a bumper turnout for their Christmas Spirit stableford competition when 66 members competed. Gordon Lamputt won with a splendid 44 points.

Results, division one: 1 Gordon Lamputt 44 pts, 2 Brian Matthews 41, 3 Derek Powell 41; division two: 1 Frank Greatorex 41, 2 Bill Mundell 41, 3 Ray Morris 40.

The Hargrove A team gave themselves a good chance of progressing to the fourth round of the Shropshire and Herefordshire winter foursomes knockout when they won the first leg 2- lead with 21 holes up advantage against visiting Lilleshall.

Jonathan Devereux and Robin Eckley halved the top match, and Chris O'Meara and Andy Smart won the second three up. The anchor pair of Neil Greening and Ian Carpenter took the final match by default when the Lilleshall pairing failed to show up and thus conceded the match and 18 holes.

Cathy Charlton posted the top score of 39 points in the ladies' November stableford. Results, silver: 1 Marian Howe 36, 2 Jackie Bishop 35; bronze A: 1 Cathy Charlton 39, 2 Dawn Cooper 34; bronze B: 1 Anne Evans 34, 2 Sheila Glinos 31.

n There was a tight finish to the latest Belmont Winter League better-ball stableford with four pairs separated by a single point and the top positions decided on a card countback.

Results: 1 Paul Evans and Andy Gray 45 pts, 2 Matt Allan and Tristan Dodd 45, 3 Jeremy Rolph and Jason Warren 44, 4 Dave Tedstone and Dave Ankers 44.

Both Hargrove teams have given themselves a chance of progressing in their respective competitions. The B team clocked up a splendid 2-1 win in the first leg of their third-round Trophy match at Llanymynech. Will Lloyd and Andrew Lambert won 3 up, Steve Hughes and Ken Matthews won 5 up, and Andy Rawcliffe and Mike Williams lost 2 down.

The A team beat Ludlow 2-1 at Belmont in the first leg of the second round of the Plate compettiton. Ben Lloyd and Richard Lloyd won 1 up, Simon Welsh and Tristan Dodd won 3 up, and Andy Smith and Colin Gladwyn lost 4 down.

n David Davies and Matthew Davies defied the weather at Kington to card 44 points in winning the November Winter League better-ball stableford. They finished two points clear of runners-up Mike Gittoes and Dave Haley, with Vic Baggott and Wyndham Evans a further point adrift in third place.

The Hargrove A team will be looking for at least one winning pair in the return leg of the third-round Trophy tie after beating Shropshire Grange 2- at Kington. Alan Williams and Darren Richards won 7 up, Matthew Weaver and David Morris won 4 up, and Ed Deasey and Stewart Franks halved.

n Leominster have given themselves a mountain to climb at Telford after losing the home leg of their second round Plate match 3-0 and going 18 holes down. Gary Rushgrove and Gary Price lost 4 down, Rob Pugh and Ed Morley lost 7 down, and Simon Morgan and Kevin Gibbons also lost 7 down.

n Burghill Valley seniors' November stableford was decided on a card countback with Fred Thomas getting the better of Austin Albrow after both had posted 37 points. Len Lewis took third spot with 36.

The A team face a difficult task in the return leg of their third-round Trophy match after losing the away leg 3-0 at Wrekin.

Dan Jarman and Guy Haines lost 3 down, Ben Carter and Geoff Davies lost 8 down, and Carl Rose and Paul Moses lost 3 down.