GREAT Lever and Farnworth won the BGA League Final for the first time in their history when they defeated favourites Old Links by a 4½-3½ score-line at Westhoughton last Sunday.

Some 30-plus Great Lever supporters cheered their team to victory as the final match clinched the coveted trophy.

Glynn Evans, BGA President, presented the Trophy to Great Lever’s team captain Anthony Whealing, who held it with pride.

“It was a great win for us” said Whealing,

“I am so proud of my players who were on top form against formidable opponents.

"To win the league for our first time is something very special and we will remember our late club captain, Billy Coates, who passed away just after his installation.”

Old Links were just off the pace on the day despite winning the first three matches when Martyn Price claimed a 4&2 win over Lever’s Mick Barlow and John Dempsey, who led for most of the game, just managed a 1-up victory against Lever’s Ian Marks.

Lever’s Paul Bridge was in the hunt for a victory who was 1-up after eight when Old Links’ Dave Marsh squared the tie at the 12th.

Bridge gave a spirited display but Marsh remained cool and won 1-up on the 18th to give Old Links three clear victories on the board.

Meanwhile, the mid-matches were in full swing and both Geoff Southern and young Luke Hulme of Great Lever, smashed their way to a 4&3 and 5&4 victories respectively against the Old Links pair of Michael Tunstall and Nick Jackson.

It was these matches that turned the tide for the Farnworth side who marched on with a further 5&3 win by Danny Hunt against Aaron Watkinson followed by a superb display by Ashley Williams who beat Old Links’ star, Matt Buckley, 6&4 to give them a one-game lead.

As it happens, the last game was between top players from both teams – Joe Whittaker of Great Lever and Aaron Harper of Old Links.

Whittaker made the pace going 1-up after nine and was 3-up after 13th.

Despite a sterling effort from Harper the match finished on the fifteenth when Whittaker was dormy three-up and the match was conceded and the Trophy was in Great Lever’s hands at last.

Once again, the BGA are proud to have their sponsors for this event – The Bank Top Brewery.