HEREFORDSHIRE GC A team put themselves in a strong position to book a place in the final of the Shropshire and Herefordshire Hargrove Plate with a fine 2-1 away win at The Shropshire in the first leg of their semi-final tie.

Jonathan Devereux and John McQuillan gave them a flying start by winning seven up, and Robin Eckley and Andrew Barr continued their recent good performances with a two up win in the second match.

Team captain Neil Greening and Ben Synnock battled hard in the anchor match before losing the last hole to finish one down.

The return leg will be at Wormsley this Sunday and Hereford will be aiming to build on their excellent away showing.

Club captain Roger Wilde is finishing his term of office with a flourish. He and his partner Ann Goodwin posted the joint top score of 42 points in the latest of the Winter Mixed Foursomes stablefords.

With card countbacks not being used, three pairs shared first place in division 1, and no fewer than five pairs shared the honours in division 2.

Results, division 1 (0-19): =1 Roger Wilde and Ann Goodwin, John and Jo Hawes, Tom and Marian McGoran 42 pts, 4 Roy Eckley and Jenny Cooke 41, 5 Robbie Kedward and Julia Young 40; division 2 (20+): =1 Mel and Jacky Bishop, Ted and Jean Turner, Jim and Joy Phillips, Bobby Wynne and Jayne Coleman, David Shuttleworth and Sarah Lawrence 41.

n There was a tight finish to Sapey's February midweek medal with Ian Duggan pipping Phil Broadrick on a card countback after both posted nett 67s.

Results, division 1 (0-14): 1 Ian Duggan 77-10-67, 2 Phil Broadrick 72-5-67, 3 Paul Waring 82-14-68; division 2 (15-28): 1 Eddie Hunt 90-20-70, 2 Paul Lloyd 95-24-71, 3 Brian Daly 88-17-71.

n No fewer than five players posted the top score of 45 points in a closely-contested Leominster Feb-ruary stableford.

Results, division 1 (0-12): 1 Andy Merrick 45 pts, 2 Mike Privett 42, 3 Nigel Morris 41; division 2 (13-18): 1 Wayne Barton 45, 2 Tony Bufton 45, 3 Tony Wathen 40; division 3 (19-28): 1 Mark Lane 45, 2 Dave Stacey 45, 3 Graham Loader 44.

Leominster are staging a Corporate Challenge on Friday, April 11. It will be a team of four stableford over 18 holes (contact Tim Suff 01432 761711).

n Ross-on-Wye ladies moved into the second round of the Mail on Sunday Knockout with a resounding 3- home win over Lilleybrook. The club were represented by Val Monk (captain), Chris Crane, Joan Malim, Hilary Ridsdale, Lin Bennett and Di Honey.

n Bob Kelly fired a sparkling 46 stableford points to leave the field trailing in Kington seniors' latest Winter stableford.

Results, division 1 (0-19): 1 Bob Kelly 46 pts, 2 Joe James 39, 3 John Allen 37; division 2 (20-28): 1 Stan Arnold 38, 2 Steve Howard 36, 3 Derek Brookes 33.

Bert and Wendy Priday used recent warm weather training to good effect when they won the February mixed greensome foursomes stableford on a card countback from Frank Burke and Ann Hitchcock after both pairs carded 34 points. Ieuan Griffiths and Enid Crowe were third with 33.

Men's February stableford, overall winner: David Lees 39 pts; division 1 (0-9): 1 Alan Williams 33, 2 Matt Davies 32; division 2 (10-15): 1 Wyndham Evans 37, 2 Howard Perry 36; division 3 (16-28): 1 David Haley 36, 2 David Freake 34.

Ladies' any-old-iron competition (12 hole stableford), silver: Janet Pennell 23 pts; bronze A: Teresa Godbert 26; bronze B: Irene Maund 19.

n Adam Hopkins and Steve Wall both posted nett 69s to win their respective sections in Belmont's February medal.

Results, division 1 (0-14): 1 Adam Hopkins 82-13-69, 2 Chris Merriman 85-14-71, 3 Steve Hughes 78-6-72, 4 Phil Skyrme 86-13-73; division 2 (15-28): 1 Steve Wall 88-19-69, 2 Kieran Bateman 96-24-72, 3 Dave Faulkner 98-25-73, 4 Doug Meredith 95-22-73.

n Heather Burley and Jemma Williams will represent Burghill Valley in the Daily Mail Foursomes Knockout after beating Jean Morris and Christine Baldwin in the club qualifying event.

The shortened course and larger frost holes more than made up for the points deducted for scores over par in the minus-stableford competition.

Results, silver: 1 Vicky Howells 50 pts, 2 Pat Barnett 47, 3 Tricia Clews 44; bronze A: 1 Pat Cox 47, 2 Ann Herbert 46, 3 Anne Allen 46; bronze B: 1 Carol Freeman 52, 2 Tina Lifely 52, 3 Pat Rhodes 49.

n Dean Gosling led the way with 40 points to win Hereford Municipal's February stableford.

Results: 1 Dean Gosling 40 pts, 2 Martin Hughes 39, 3 Andy Smart 37, 4 Ben Hughes 37, 5 Kieron Helps 37.

The annual general meeting will be held at the Leisure Centre on February 25 at 8.30pm.