CLACKMANNAN CRASH 8-4 ON HOME
TURF TO STIRLINGSHIRE

By HUGH HUNTER
One week after recording a fine win at Tulliallan, Clackmannangolf team were brought down to earth with an 8 – 4 defeat in the annual match against Stirlingshire at Schawpark, Alloa.
Against a strong Stirlingshire team, the foursomes were shared at two matches each, with the top Alloa pairing of Ian Ross and Alan Hyem leading off with a solid 3 and 2 win over Chris Lawton and Steven Aitken.
Early indifferent play by the Stirlingshire couple gave the two Clackmannanshire players a four- hole lead by the 12th. A fine eagle 2 at the 13th reduced the lead, but two halves were enough for a Wee County win.
The only other win came from Jamie Aitken and Scott Moffat. In their closely-contested match, they managed to hold on to a one-hole lead on the 17th, thanks to a deadly chip by Aitken, and retain it on the last green to give them a narrow victory.
In the final match, John Maxwell and Graham Miller were entitled to feel a bit unlucky. A one- hole lead with two to play became a loss when the two Stirlingshire players each holed for birdies on the 17th and 18th.
The singles were always going to be tough, and Ian Ross (Alloa) was first to find out. Ian’s five-under-par score for the outward nine failed to shake off his opponent, and he lost narrowly on the last.
In a pile of sub-par scores, only Jamie Aitken managed to win through. Jamie fought back from a one-hole deficit at the turn, and just retained the slender one-hole lead to win at the last, making him the only undefeated Clackmannan player of the day.
John Maxwell, with some stylish golf, was the only other Wee County winner. In his match his two-hole lead was never really threatened after the 12th and he ran out a winner on the 17th green.
Details:
CLACKMANNAN 4, STIRLING 8
Foursomes (2-2)
Alan Hyem & Ian Ross (Alloa) bt Chris Lawton (Stirling) & Steven Aitken (Falkirk Tryst) 3 and 2.
Steve McIvor (Alva) & Craig O'Connor (Alloa) lost to Blair Paterson (Stirling) & James Donaldson (Falkirk Tryst) 3 and 2.
Scott Moffat (Braehead) & Jamie Aitken (Alloa) bt Mark Hislop & Tommy Wilson Glenbervie) 1 hole.
Graham Miller & John Maxwell (Tulliallan) lost to Colin Mundie & Neil Cunningham (Falkirk) 1 hole.
Singles (2-6):
Ross lost to Aitken 1 hole.
Hulston lost to Lawton 3 and 2.
Hyem lost to Paterson 4 and 3.
O’Connor lost to Donaldson 2 holes.
Aitken bt Cunningham 1 hole.
Moffat lost to Mundie 2 and 1.
Maxwell bt Hislop 2 and 1.
Miller lost to Wilson 2 holes.