WITHINGTON Golf Club staged the 2018 Mersey Ladies Shield which saw Sale ladies' team retain the trophy with a final total of 225 from their top six pairs,

They were led by England Seniors international Cath Rawthore, a former Didsbury member, and Caroline Croxton with 39 points.

Giving them solid support were Chris Johnson and Maria Walmsley, also 39, Moira Forster and Jenny Kehoe on 38, Carol Broadbent and Matilda Botman on 37, Bernadette Rodman and Alice Conett on 37 and Sophia Casey and Sue Barrett with 35.

But the top individual score of the day again came from Didsbury with Kate Jones and Jeannie O’Neill posting what is believed to be the best-ever score of 47 points in the competition’s long history to back up the winning score in 2017 from Peggy Haslam and Amy Sarjantson.

O'Neill said: “We enjoyed a great day and Kate’s putting was absolutely superb and it was the second time she has been in the top individual pairing in the competition.”

Sarjantson partnered Louise Biddlecombe to 35 points with the other Didsbury counters coming from Jane Steel and Claire Murray (35), Pat Coulburn and Nuria Corcoy (34), Jenny White and Claire Canning (34) and Lynda Goddard and Gill Mannia (33).

The top scorers for Chorlton were Val Mawson and Muriel Walton (39), for Northenden Hazel Foster and Carol Nelson (40) and Withington's Liz Bradbury and Judith Quine (39).

Final team scores: 1 Sale 225, 2 Didsbury 218, 3 Withington 213, 4 Chorlton 210, 5 Northenden 197.