By Sport desk

Copyright jerseyeveningpost

Steven Anderson reports…

FOR north of a decade, Guernsey have chased, battled, and hoped — but still the ladies’ inter-insular trophy refuses to leave Jersey hands. At Royal Jersey Golf Club, with a brisk sea breeze whipping across Grouville Bay, the Caesareans tightened their grip once again, brushing aside their rivals 14-6 to extend an unbeaten streak that began in 2012’s inaugural fixture.

Captain Nicola Mollin’s blend of youth and experience entered the weekend desperate to keep their hands on a trophy they have never lost — and they did so in emphatic style, winning all three sessions on home turf.

Ann-Marie Pereira, Melissa McMahon, Louise Kirton and Sarah Le Boutillier joined six returning players from last year’s 13-7 victory at L’Ancresse.

Any suggestion that Jersey’s evolving line-up might be vulnerable quickly evaporated as the hosts imposed themselves from the very first tee shot.

Jersey captain Nicola Mollin

“I’m so proud of the team,” said Jersey captain Nicola Mollin. “Through all of the sessions they gave it their all to win and that showed come the end of the Sunday singles.”

Jersey captured both the foursomes and fourball sessions on Saturday by a margin of 3.5-1.5 in tricky weather on the eastern coast. Mollin’s side enjoyed a healthy cushion ahead of the final session, but the captain knew victory was far from secured.

She added: “Heading into the singles 7-3 up, you are confident, but you can’t become complacent.

“We knew we still had a difficult job to do, and the team remained focused on their own individual matches. The golf on display was incredible and to keep hold of the trophy that we’ve never lost is special.” Incredible was a slight understatement from a humble Mollin, as her charges never gave their counterparts a hope.

Guernsey did have something to cheer early as Lily McNeela defeated Sarah Le Boutillier in the lead match, but second out Helen Gray had already posted the first point on the board with a remarkable 7&6 win over Sarnian youngster Jennie Ballay.

Anabelle Lucas-Villar followed with a 3&2 win, meaning Jersey required just one more point for victory.

La Moye’s Lily Buckley fell 5&4 to Veronica Bougourd, Guernsey’s best performer with an impressive 2.5 points from three. But in the matches behind, it was mostly one-way traffic.

Melissa McMahon swept aside Di Stenner 6&5 to finish the weekend unbeaten, while Abi Harris produced another stout showing to defeat Mandy Webber 5&4.

Di Aitchison earned the visitors their third and final point with a 5&3 win against Louise Kirton, but the red tide kept rolling.

Ann-Marie Pereira

The shining star was debutant Pereira, who looked like a seasoned veteran in cruising past Clare Tee 7&5.

“What a weekend,” said Pereira. “It was tough out there conditions wise, but I’ve never been a fair-weather golfer and thrived on the opportunity to play a part in helping us keep hold of the trophy. “I felt lucky with my great playing partners on Saturday [Gray & Lucas-Villar], who helped ease me in as a rookie and made me feel comfortable. “To win my singles was really important to me. I knew I had to win not only for me, but also the team.”

With the job already done, it was only a matter of the final scoreline. Brona Lambert (3&2) and Hannah Scriven (2&1) provided the icing on the cake for Mollin’s side.

Mollin added: “I know it’s a bit cliché to say that the team spirit is good, but it genuinely is. They all get on so well and they want to play for each other, which is so important when it comes to team golf.

“There is a really good mix of players that have been involved in this side for years, along with some fresh faces.

“I thought Ann-Marie was exceptional on her debut. To win every match is incredible and I’m really happy for her.

“She’s struggled with injury this year and taken some time away from netball to focus on golf. She’s really battled to be here, and her results prove that fighting spirit and the fact she fully deserved her place.

“The balance of the team just seemed to work really well. When you have a core of the side with experience, it gives you confidence to put in new players who deserve their shot.”

For Guernsey, Bougourd’s efforts stood out, but Jersey’s women had the final say yet again — extending a stranglehold over the fixture that shows no sign of slipping.

Jersey 14-6 Guernsey (Jersey named first)

Foursomes (7&5) McMahon / Buckley vs Stacey-Goldberg / Hamilton Lucas-Villar / Harris vs Ballay / McNeela (1up) (1up) Gray / Pereira vs Webber / Tee (4&3) Lambert / Scriven vs Stenner / Bate (A/S) Le Boutillier / Kirton vs Bougourd / Aitchison (A/S) Jersey 3.5 – Guernsey 1.5 Fourballs (4&3) Buckley / Harris vs Stacey-Goldberg / Hamilton (5&4) Lucas-Villar / Pereira vs Tee / Aitchison Gray / Le Boutillier vs Bougourd / McNeela (2&1) (5&4) Lambert / Scriven vs Bate / Webber (A/S ) McMahon / Kirton vs Ballay / Stenner (A/S) Jersey 3.5 – Guernsey 1.5 Singles Le Boutillier vs McNeela (3&2) (7&6) Gray vs Ballay (3&2) Lucas-Villar vs Bate Buckley vs Bougourd (5&4) (6&5) McMahon vs Stenner (5&4) Harris vs Webber Kirton vs Aitchison (5&3) (7&5) Pereira vs Tee (3&2) Lambert vs Hamilton (2up) Scriven vs Stacey-Goldberg Jersey 7-3 Guernsey Jersey: Lily Buckley, Helen Gray, Abi Harris, Louise Kirton, Brona Lambert, Sarah Le Boutillier, Anabelle Lucas-Villar, Melissa McMahon, Ann-Marie Pereira, Hannah Scriven Guernsey: Di Aitchison, Jennie Ballay, Mary Bate, Veronica Bougourd, Bonny Hamilton, Lily McNeela, Michaela Stacey-Goldberg, Di Stenner, Clare Tee, Mandy Webber