THE Manchester and District Golf Alliance’s Inter-Club knockouts are the biggest of their kind in the country and they often provide some thrilling nerve-jangling finishes on finals day.

The Archie Preston Trophy for mixed foursomes has been played for more than 20 years and grown in popularity with a great entry of clubs each season.

This year was no exception with more than 80 teams looking to make finals day at Pleasington Golf Club who provided a magnificent setting.

Pleasington won the trophy in 2015 and the winning club host the final in the following year.

Looking to take the coveted trophy were Tytherington, one of the early winners, and Sale who have picked up plenty of team trophies in recent years including the Bell Cup, the City Glass Foursomes and the Mersey League.

The first match in the competition features the captain and lady captain of each club and David Moore and Maria Walmsley of Sale gave their team an early boost as they won their match on the 20th hole against Penny Clark and Gareth Lover and set the tone for another dramatic day.

Janet Ions and Neil MacLeod levelled for Tytherington with a one-up win against Martin Ash and Jenny Page.

Sale regained the lead with a 6&4 win for John Russell and Gill Ross and youngsters Mark Marshall and Elly Rawthore increased the lead with a big 8&7 victory over Gary Cook and Eileen Jones.

But Tytherington showed their battling spirit with wins for Stephen Pinnington and Jane Ambler, two-up against Mike Smith and Sue Barrett, a score repeated by Leigh Turner and Carole Ryder against Ian Bullough and Rebecca Hyde.

It all rested on the last match on the course as Tytherington went to the 18th green one-up and needing a two-foot putt for a half that would have won the trophy.

But it was missed to send the game into sudden death between Sale’s Mobi Rawthore and Caroline Croxton and Ian Mathers and Anne Dutoy of Tytherington.

The thriller went to the 21st hole before Rawthore and Croxton secured victory for their club who won the trophy for the first time and will host the final in 2017.

Sale captain David Moore said: “It has been a remarkable year for Sale with the ladies' section winning the Mersey Shield and the men's first and second teams retaining the Mersey League title.

“The team spirit was tremendous at Pleasington with a never-say-die attitude in last-ditch wins in away matches in the quarter and semi-finals and it showed again in a nail-biting finish.

“We are the first club in the Mersey valley to win this wonderful trophy which is another great achievement.”