AFTER a tight foursomes battle, Bradford Golf Union found themselves level at 6-6 against Yorkshire Inter-District League title favourites Sheffield on home soil. With 12 singles matches to follow, a surprise victory was on the cards.

However, Sheffield showed their skill and dominance in the individual clashes, winning seven and halving three to romp to a 23-13 victory at Bradford Golf Club on Sunday.

George Grant, who put Union's first points on the board with a 2&1 foursomes win alongside talented youngster Ben Rhodes, suffered a humbling 6&5 defeat in the opening singles match, and the home side never recovered.

The following three individual clashes saw Bradford halve two matches, courtesy of Rhodes and James Tate, but also a 7&5 mauling for Dane Bairstow, who struggled for form despite last week's Bradford Amateur Strokeplay win.

Three successive defeats for Andy Town, James Darcy and James Meredith ensured that there would be no way back for Union in the contest.

The hosts restored some pride with two consecutive victories, their only ones in the 12 matches. Jordan Clements and Andy Couzens, who lost their foursomes match together, secured impressive wins, with Clements recording a 5&4 success.

When Andrew Busfield halved the following contest, Union had gone three matches undefeated, their best run of the game.

However Sheffield exerted their dominance again before the end, with two crushing victories over Rob Hillas and Terry Brushwood.

Those individual thrashings were a sharp contrast to the fascinating foursomes battles earlier on in the day. Despite Grant and Rhodes' victory, Union lost three of the first four matches and found themselves 6-2 behind.

They rallied though and game five saw Busfield and Hillas emerge as 3&1 winners. Brushwood and Town repeated that scoreline in the following game to bring the sides level, but that was as good as it got for the hosts.

In a league of only eight teams, a defeat in Bradford's next match, their third of the season, could prove terminal to their title chances.

They will hope to add to their opening day win on Teesside by beating Halifax-Huddersfield at Dewsbury & District Golf Club on June 24.