Yorkshire golf - club news: Ian Cross and Dave Ritson show fighting qualities to lift Thornton Trophy at Low Laithes

The final of Low Laithes' winter knockout competition looked to be Beckley and Walker's for the taking, only for Cross to win the 15th to pull the match back to all square.

Ritson then won the 16th to nudge them ahead and needed a birdie at the 17th to retain the advantage before a par at the last secured victory.

A day earlier Cross and playing partner Chris Reynolds had to settle for second place in the betterball Stableford competition, which was won by Tony McMenamin (10 handicap) and Steve Megson (17) with a superb 50pt tally.

The pair had no fewer than seven birdies on the way out, including three on the spin at the start of their round, two from Megson and one from McMenamin.

The latter added a gross birdie at the fifth and a net birdie at the sixth, Megson completing the front nine with successive net birdies at eight and nine.

It gave them 25pts for their first nine holes, a total they matched on the inward run despite opening with a pair of two-pointers.

They had four pars in all, but they were bolstered by three net birdies from Megson plus two net eagles at two par-5s, the 13th and 17th.

Cross and Reynolds took second place on 47pts on countback from Don Knight and Paul Selby.

Three pairs tied on 47pts in the following day's betterball Stableford, victory ultimately going to Sam Leatham (5) and Andy Pickering (18) on countback.

The winners had six birdies going out, five of them provided by Leatham, including a two at the 160-yard par-3 fourth.

He then passed the reins to Pickering, who carded four of their five birdies for an inward tally of 23 that proved crucial.

Kevin Sorby (5) and Tony Cole (11) placed second with John Petty (19) and Dennis Douglas (19) third.

Willow Valley GC's midweek competition marked the conclusion of their Midweek Winter Order of Merit, which was won by Chris Richold.

He finished runner-up to Bruce Sugden on the day, a point behind on 39, but second place was enough to edge him over the winner's line in the Order of Merit.

The Saturday Stableford first-class section was won by Nigel Richardson with 34pts as he narrowly pipped Michael Tyas on countback.

The second-class section was won by Neal Mortimer on 37, Dave Sharpe finishing runner-up a point adrift.

Sunday saw the March Stableford attract the club's biggest field to date in 2016 with former captain Ahsan Khan taking the first-class honours with a fine score of 40 points.

Jeremy Bakes was unlucky to miss out on top spot, also carding 40pts, but finishing second via countback.

The second-class section was won by Stephen Carrington-Ward with an excellent 41pt tally, two ahead of runner-up Mark McGuigan.

Birley Wood GC's head professional Jonathan Pyle is offering a six-week junior coaching course at the Sheffield club, to run from Tuesday, April 19 to Tuesday, May 31, for just £24.

The price will include a seven-iron, club membership and two nine-hole vouchers.

Anyone interested in signing up juniors for the course can contact him on 0114 264 7262 or by email, [email protected].