TIVERTON crashed out of the Palairet Trophy in the second round after a comprehensive 4½-½ defeat to Churston at Dawlish Warren on Sunday.

John Sampson’s men lost the first four matches and only final pair Nixie Acfield and Lee Scott were able to secure a half.

Jim Bray and Tom Trowbridge were 1 up after seven but lost the 8th, 12th and 13th to go 2 down and their opponents’ expertise with the putter enabled them to see out a 2 and 1 victory.

It was a similar story for Rhys Cruse and Martin Selby, who were 1 up after eight but lost three holes on the trot to go 2 down.

A win on the 16th gave them hope, but Churston’s par on the 17th sealed a 2 and 1 win.

Tony Allsopp and James Lambden went 4 down on the front nine but managed to haul their opponents back, only for Churston to pull away again to win 4 and 3.

Ollie Taylor and debutant Lloyd Sampson went 4 down after five and although they reduced the deficit to two after 10, their opponents took charge to secure a 5 and 3 victory.

Acfield and Scott went from 2 up to 2 down and after coming to the 17th green all-square, the teams agreed to accept a half with the overall result already decided.

Tiverton must now make do with a spot in the Palairet Plate qualifier, which takes place at Highbullen on Sunday 6 July.

Marian Stevens lifted the ladies’ Silver Cup and had her handicap cut from 18 to 16 after posting an excellent nett 72 in the second round on Monday.

Stevens added the 72, which was six better than any other player, to her 82 in the first round last week for a total of 154.

It enabled her to finish one ahead of Oki Northwood, whose scores of 76 and 79 left her on 155.

Alison Hilton came third on 159 after scores of 76 and 83.

Emily Vickery claimed the Bronze Cup after following up her first-round 70 with an 83 on Monday, giving her an aggregate of 153.

Ladies’ captain Karen Allsopp (75 and 82) came second on 157 while Liz Hall (82 and 78) was third on 160.

Second-round results: Silver Division – 1 Marian Stevens (90-18=72); 2 Oki Northwood (98-19=79); 3 Judy Phripp (99-18=81). Bronze Division One – 1 Liz Hall (99-21=78); 2 Shirley Ward (101-23=78); 3 Chris Young (107-27=80). Bronze Division Two – 1 Janice Haynes (114-35=79); 2 Ann Fielding (118-36=82); 3 Julia Cole (112-29=83).

Emily Vickery lifted the Kay Sharp Cup for shooting the lowest nett score in the Devon girls’ championship at Tiverton.

The 10-year-old followed in the footsteps of fellow Tiverton players Jess Bradley and Abbie Moyes by winning the cup.

Vickery shot a one-under nett 73 to win the under-13 prize and cut her handicap from 27 to 26.

Dan Smith, Ricky Baker, Ollie Main and Gary Taylor shot a sensational nett 52.5 to win the Junior Fundraiser Texas Scramble on Saturday, earning them a round of golf for four at Perranporth in Cornwall.

The all-junior team of Charlie and George Sampson and Jay and Bradley Scott were runners-up with 54.8.

The former Padbrook Park quartet of Cameron Bundy, Mike Partridge, Martin Cherry and Mark Want were third on 56.9, followed by Derek Marshman, Les Hartley, David Grieve and David Jack (57) and Peter Boax, Kevin Harper, Alex Gibson and Richard Moyes (57.3).

The top mixed team were Jane Gould, Martin Selby, Steve Carey and Colin Carey on 58.1.

Charlie Durnan finished nearest the pin and won a lesson with new pro Alistair Welsher.

MARK Halliwell cruised to victory in the Seniors May Stableford at Padbrook Park with an excellent score of 37 points.

Halliwell finished a comfortable four shots ahead of Ian Coates who took second on countback from John Locke.

Seniors May Stableford: 1 M Halliwell 37pts, 2 I Coates 33, 3 J Locke 33, 4 M Cockerill 31, 5 R Cavill 30, 6 L Edwards 30, 7 D Alford 30, 8 A Owen 29.

Last year’s runner up, G Stevenson, fell at the first hurdle in this year’ Summer Singles. Stevenson lost to Jamie Smith. Phil Moore is unable to defend his title due to injury.

Summer Singles: Round 1 results: N Woodman bt H Marshall, P Yolland bt P Waters, G Lewis lost to M Perrott, D Clow lost to G Parker, A Rooker lost to R Hughes, J Palmer lost to H Evans, B Colbourne lost to J Reed, I Carvell lost to S Palmer, A Pym lost to K Radbourne, G Stevenson lost to J Smith Round 2 draw: R Asson v G Campbell, S Vicary v S Held, N Woodman v P Yolland, M Perrott v G Parker, R Hughes v H Evans, S Palmer v K Radbourne