There was a close finish to the Sidgwick Cup at Thetford Golf Club, with plenty of drama on the last few holes.

Rafe Ashby was having the round of his life until he finished six, seven to drop four strokes on the last two holes.

Fortunately 14-handicap Rafe had already done enough — just. Despite his disappointing finish he turned in a card of 85-14-71 to pip four-handicap Matt West and six-handicap Matt Wabe on countback.

Rafe stood on the 17th tee having only dropped nine strokes and he ended up with a back nine of nett 35 while Matt West had nett 36 after finishing with a five and Matt Wabe a nett 37.

Terry Stephenson finished two, six, five for a round of 84-12-72 to finish fourth, one ahead of seven players on nett 73.

The top eight gross scorers qualified for the Cowan and Oliver scratch matchplay knock-out, and the draw has set up the following first-round matches: Matt West v Stuart McGill, Matt Harben v Peter Allott, Matt Wabe v Ryan Woods and Mike Horley v Bob Setchell.

Thetford played three more matches in the Norfolk Handicap League and won them all. They beat Mattishall 3-1 with the winning pairs Dean Scott and Robbie O’Brien, Tim McAlinden and Mark Lingard and Martin Brockett and John Ward.

They then played Dereham at home and away over the same weekend, winning 3-1 away (Norrie Dickson and Arron Gaskell, Mike Horley and Peter Croker winning plus two halved matches) and then 2½-1½ in the home match (Mike Horley and Peter Croker and Matt Harben and Nolan Guthrie winning plus one half). This keeps them in pursuit of Braid Division leaders Costessey Park.

Thetford Ladies won 4-3 away to Eaton II in Division Three of the Norfolk Inter-Club League. Shelly Pleasance, Kath Malvern, Jan Bone and Wendy Puttock were the Thetford winners.

However, the senior ladies lost in the third round of the Diamond Knock-Out when they went down by 13 holes away to Mundesley.

Thetford II lost 4½-2½ at home to Hunstanton II with Margaret Hayward and Mary Neal the Thetford winners.

May Midweek Medal results: Ian Ramsay 79-12-67, Neil Elers 81-13-68, Toby Edwards 85-17-68, Terry Blacktopp 75-6-69, Robert Bentley 84-15-69, Barry Parr 89-20-69, Tom Green 83-14-69.