Suffolk came storming back from a 6-0 hiding against Staffordshire yesterday morning to manufacture a satisfactory victory of their own, beating Nottinghamshire by four matches to two after lunch.

Suffolk came storming back from a 6-0 hiding against Staffordshire yesterday morning to manufacture a satisfactory victory of their own, beating Nottinghamshire by four matches to two after lunch.

The Midlands Junior Matchplay Finals at Stowmarket constitute three rounds played over a day and a half and, since Lincolnshire won both their matches yesterday and play Suffolk this morning, Suffolk will have to beat them to spoil their party.

Suffolk's loss against Staffordshire sounds worse than it was, for four of the results were fairly close and the others were perfectly acceptable in the circumstances.

The Suffolk girls, playing off scratch, were matched with girls off much shorter handicaps.

Suffolk went out in determined mood against Nottinghamshire. Heidi Baek, taking the flak at the front, found Katie Best, whose name regularly crops up on the press releases flooding out from England's HQ, in fine form.

Playing off a handicap of one and having several years in age and experience advantage on 13-year-old Heidi, she slotted an eagle from 18 inches at Stowmarket's downhill fourth hole and carried on with faultless scoring.

Korell Holley was dormie four and, thanks to a chip-in by her opponent at 16, went down the 17th needing - and getting - a cast-iron par for the point. Sarah Howe polished off nine-year-old Lianna Bailey quite early on.

Nevertheless, Sarah played calmly and beautifully, as did Jo Taylor, whose steady progress never faltered.

Cheryl Chisholm paid generous tribute to her opponent, Emma Newlove, who outplayed her, which left Jojo Hamer-Philip out on the course needing at least a half for a Suffolk victory.

Cometh the hour, cometh the young lady!

Two down going up 14, she dug in, squared the match at 17 and slotted a great putt for a slender victory at the last.

Prodigious length, considerable skill around the greens and good competition; for anyone who loves golf, it's good to envisage the enjoyment of the game that lies ahead for these young people.

Suffolk v Staffordshire

Suffolk 0 Staffordshire 6 (Heidi Baek lost to Bronwen Davies 2 & 1; Korell Holley lost to Mel Siviter 1 down; Jo Taylor lost to Ashleigh Grimes 3 & 2; Sarah Howe lost to Gina Wilkie 2 & 1; Cheryl Chisholm lost to Amy Barber 4 & 3; Jojo Hamer-Philip lost to Charlotte Stanton 4 & 2).

Lincolnshire beat Nottingham 4½-1½.

Suffolk v Nottinghamshire

Suffolk 4 Nottinghamshire 2 (Baek lost to Katie Best 5 & 4; Holley beat Jenny Ellis 2 & 1; Taylor beat Maddy Larke 5 & 3; Howe beat Lianna Bailey 7 & 5; Chisholm lost to Emma Newlove 6 & 4; Hamer-Philip beat Emily Cheshire 1 up).

Lincolnshire beat Staffordshire 4-2.