Gosfield Lake youngster Jack Rayner helped Essex under-13s beat Suffolk 8-3 in the last competitive county match of the season.

The contest, at Waldringfield Golf Club, took place in superb fashion when two teams of 11 players from each county met for 18 holes of scratch matchplay golf.

Rayner was one of seven Essex players representing their county for the first time.

Spencer Adams-Dunstan (Langdon Hills), Jason Horne (St Clere’s Hall), Jack Marshall (Crowlands Heath), David Briffaut (Boyce Hill), Bobby Keeble (Woolston Manor) and Alex Duke (Orsett) also competed.

John Withington (Canons Brook), Adams-Dunstan and Horne were the first three players out for Essex.

Each boy played impressive golf, hardly dropping a shot to par while scoring solid victories for the team.

Withington was two up, Adams-Dunstan 3&2 and Horne 2&1.

Adams-Dunstan had to work particularly hard as his opponent was longer off the tee but his deadly accurate approach shots, short play and putting set the foundation for the rest of the team.

Marshall 6&5, Briffaut 3&2, Keeble 6&5, Duke 6&4 and Cody Strachan (Boyce Hill) 3&2, playing as anchor man, delivered further wins to cement an emphatic win for Essex.

The victory would have been even more impressive with Billy Mason (Maldon) losing a hard-fought match and Rayner and Michael Kendrick (Forrester Park) each going down fighting on the last green.

The boys from both Essex and Suffolk not only played very good golf but also conducted themselves impeccably in the way they represented themselves and their county.