Poppleton and Hague team up to assist England's passage to last four in European Team Championship

Brabazon Trophy holder Poppleton and North of England champion Hague teamed up in the foursomes for a 3&1 win over Jeremy Gandon and Hubert Tisserand.

In the afternoon Hague battled back superbly from two down through nine to halve with Edgar Catherine while Poppleton was rested.

England’s win lined them up for a last-four tie with Denmark.

They had claimed a place in the top-flight match play stage after qualifying second behind Sweden over two rounds of stroke play.

Hague was the model of consistency, with scores of 72 71 for a one-under-par aggregate, while Poppleton carved 11 shots off his first-round 77 to shoot 66 on day two.

Malton & Norton player Hague offset three bogeys with three birdies in round one and had just a solitary dropped shot on day two as against two birdies.

Poppleton’s 77 included just one birdie as well as three bogeys and a triple bogey eight.

But he came roaring back with a 66 that saw him open with an eagle, which he augmented with five birdies while suffering only one bogey.

In the European Boys’ Team Championship, staged at Kaskada Brno, in Czech Republic, an England team including Barclay Brown (Hallamshire) fell 4-3 to Switzerland.

Brown had helped England qualify in third place behind Spain and Sweden with two rounds of level par 72.

He had three birdies and bogeys in round one and six birdies, four bogeys and one double bogey in round two.