Heworth Golf Club are in full swing after prevailing in the East Riding Winter Alliance for the first time in the competition's 43-year history.

And the victorious team have a silverware double in their sights. They bid to retain the Alliance's President's Salver next week.

The ten-fixture winter team championship ended at Hainsworth Park, where Heworth finished with a final tally of 1,314 strokes - 22 better than nearest challengers Scarborough South Cliff.

Heworth led the competition since the second fixture and finished with a flourish, six-handicapper Nick Bissett, the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion central defender, and Paul Winterburn (9) almost grabbing the individual honours.

They carded an eight-under par 63 but were pipped by Brough duo Steve Mews and Bill Wilcox on count-back over the last nine.

The trophy was last held by a club from York in 1979 when Fulford shared the title with Scarborough North Cliff.

Said Heworth professional Steve Burdett, who shares Heworth's squad selection duties with Jim Batt: "We have been in the running on several occasions, but have never previously been able to win the top team prize."

Batt - an ever-present in the Heworth team this season - praised team-mates Bissett, Duncan Bruce, Dean Wharton and Bernard Mennell.

Mennell teamed up with long-standing member Bruce - who made his Alliance debut this year - to win the second event at Driffield in October. Bruce also won the sixth meeting at Filey in December when he partnered Bissett.

The Alliance programme will continue next Wednesday with the President's Salver tournament at Ganstead Park, where Heworth will be defending the trophy in a bid to complete a rare double. "That's our next objective", declared Batt.

At Filey last season, the York-based club won the salver - a tournament restricted to competitors in the scratch to 14-handicap bracket in which the aggregate of three cards count - for the first time since the trophy competition was inaugurated in 1966.

Heworth finished four strokes clear of joint runners-up York rivals Pike Hills and Malton and Norton.

Updated: 11:48 Saturday, March 27, 2004