Thetford kept their defence of the Norfolk County Scratch Trophy alive with a battling 3-2 win over Eaton to move into the quarter-finals.

Most of the drama centred on the final green. In the top match Giles Evans chipped in on the 17th for an eagle and a par at the last secured the first point.

Stalwart Iain Yule won his match on the 15th but the next two matches were lost.

That left it all down to Gareth Mills, who was making his first appearance for the team. After a slow start — he was four down after six holes — he began to settle and battled back. At the 16th he made it all square and a par at the 17th meant it was all on the 18th.

He held his nerve superbly well to hit a good putt and then rolled in a tricky putt for the win.

Afterwards Gareth said: “Don’t ever pick me again — golf should be enjoyed!”

Now Thetford face a trip to play Barnham Broom in the last eight.

Thetford Ladies also had a close match but a 4-3 loss at home to Swaffham means they are now unlikely to earn promotion from Division Three of the NLCGA League. The top four players lost, two of them on the last couple of greens, which meant wins by Heather Keeble, Wendy Puttock and Margo Horsburgh were not quite enough to turn it around.

In another match Thetford men lost 3-1 at Royal Cromer, with club captain Trevor Wignall and Brian Chadwick the only winning pair.

Jan Bone won the Whittaker Salver with a round of 83-13-70 in the July Medal. In Division One Moira Morgan was runner-up with 91-19-72 with Kath Malvern third with 76-5-71. Division Two: Shirley Spreadborough 89-23-66, Mary Neal 87-26-71, Dawn Dixon 101-22-79.

Ladies’ June Stableford Division One: 36pts Sharon Caws (14); 34 Chris Edgar (19) on countback from Alison Jones (16). Division Two: 31 Gill Welham (21), 30 Mary Neal (24) on countback from Sandra Smith (26). Division Three: 23 Liz Hodgson (35) on countback from Carole Crimmen (29) and Thea Towell (29).

Ladies’ July EG Medal: Kath Malvern 80-6-74, Heather Keeble 86-12-74, Pauline O’Sullivan 109-26-83, Carolyn Beaumont 100-17-83.

Men’s Midweek Stableford: 39 Andrew Knowles (14) on countback from Tom Green (12) and Toby Edwards (15); 38 Andy Vassallo (18); 36 Alex Baxter (14) and Graham Kemp (13); 34 Rob Taylor (5), Robert Fletcher (10) and Lewis King (12).