STOKE by Nayland Golf Club have sealed their place in the Norman Plum quarter-finals.

Their home team took on opponents Maldon GC on the Constable Course in great spirit.

Luke Bennett and Steve Evans were always ahead and were four up, after nine holes.

Nevertheless, Maldon players Leon Griffiths and John Abbott kept the game alive but eventually lost 4&3.

Andrew Hateley and Dan Martin were three down but scrambled back to one down on 17.

However, they lost their match on the 18th hole, with Martin missing a tricky six-foot putt.

Stoke by Nayland's away team had a much tougher battle, with all matches going to the 18th hole.

Dean Brace and Steve Hewett were winners at one-up and Trevor Brace and Ian Todd winners at two-up.

Alan White and Bob Tokley were three down, with five to play.

Tokley won three holes on the spin to level the match with White winning 17 to go one up.

Maldon won the 18th hole with David Kinnane (24 handicap) having a shot to half the match.

There was also success for Stoke by Nayland's Curry Cup team, who won 10½-7½ at Colchester GC.

Their 12-man team enjoyed a convincing win over 36 holes, with six foursome matches in the morning and 12 singles in the afternoon.

Stoke by Nayland hosted Clacton GC for their final Youth Shield group match of 2018.

They booked their place in the quarter-finals, with Junior captain Max Toombs enjoying a 3&1 win, in the final match.

Callum Hensby and Sam Nixon had earlier both closed out impressive 3&2 victories on the 16th green.

Harry English lost 5&3 and Isaac Toombs was beaten 3&2 but Max Toombs' win proved crucial.

Stoke by Nayland have also progressed to the next round of the Royal British Legion junior team championship.

Playing on the Constable Course, they hosted a team from Saffron Walden with each club putting forward two pairs for a four ball better ball handicap match play format.

Nathan Thompson and Sam Nixon won by ten holes while in the other match, Max Toombs and Harry English triumphed three-up.

Stoke by Nayland also staged the Ferriers Barn “any combination” better ball event, on the Gainsborough course.

Sudbury pair Dean Brace and Mark Theobald won with a magnificent score of 49 points at the event, where part of the entry fee is paid by the club to the Ferriers Barn charity.