HAVING led the qualifiers, Thorpe Hall's Martin Blake put up a great performance in the match-play stages of the Essex Keating Trophy before losing 2 and 1 to Daniel White (Chigwell) in the final.
On his way to the final Blake had beaten Jamie Jones (Five Lakes) 4 and 3, Ryan Adair (Orsett) 2 and 1 and Owen Pearl (Colchester) 3 and 2.
Other local results: Round 1 - Matthew Southgate (Thorpe Hall) lost 3 and 2 to Adair; Steve McAnally (Orsett) beat William Boniface (Five Lakes) 5 and 3; Joe Sullivan (Stock Brook) lost 2 down to Reece Phillips (West Essex). Quarter-finals: McAnally lost 3 and 2 to White.
The Essex amateur annual clash with the county pros at Frinton saw a 7.5-7.5 tie.
The men from the unpaid ranks led 3-2 after the foursomes with McAnally and Adam Burwood (Harwich) beating Mark Stokes and Chelmsford's former Thorpe Hall club champion Brett Taylor 1 up in the top match.
Chelmsford's Jack Clarke, from Rayleigh, paired with Tom Ogan (Braintree) for a 2 up success.
Blake and Southgate, the latter paired with Rochford's Essex under-18 captain Joe Galbraith, both had halves.
In the singles Clarke lost 1 down to Thorpe Hall's Jon Fryatt, while McAnally was beaten by Andy Pestell 4 and 3.
But Galbraith beat Gemma Scase, the only female in the pro team, 5 and 4 and Southgate overcame vastly-experienced Steve Cipa 1 up.
Hero of the hour was Keating runner-up Blake. One down to Matt Stables playing the last, he got on the green for two and won the hole to half his match and the overall result.
Galbraith, along with Rochford colleagues Christian Foreman, Andy Milne and Jay Beisser, were all in the Essex under-18 boys team (53 points) which beat Kent (31) and Middlesex (24) in a triangular match at Langdon Hills.
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