CUMBRIA claimed their first win of their Northern League Counties campaign with a 12-6 victory over Durham at Ulverston.

With a formidable 5-1 lead on the back of the morning foursomes, the hosts weathered a Durham fightback in the afternoon singles to run away with the match through the work of their back order.

The morning foursomes set the tone for the tie as Workington’s Will Bowe and the home club’s Rob Spence came out on top in their match after battling against a barrage of birdies on the front nine.

The Durham pairing of Andrew Wilson and Christopher Handy made five birdies between the third and the seventh, only for the Cumbrian duo to respond in kind with five of their own to take the tie 3&2.

Continuing the morning rout, Kendal's James Atkinson and Windermere's Adam Chapman came through a tight game with Rhys Thompson and Martin McCririck, taking the tie on the last hole.

The all-Carlisle pairing of Kieran Waters and Chris Thursby comfortably won their match 4&3, while Ulverston duo Oliver Carr and Luke Walker triumphed 2&1.

The only blemish on the morning's play came as John Longcake and Nicky Bell had a match to forget, beaten 8&7 on the 11th hole by Aaron Mcmanus and Jack Ainscough.

Captain Andrew Edwards and Richard Mewse re-established Cumbria’s dominance, however, with a two-up victory on the last.

Any thoughts that Durham would roll over after a nightmare morning showing were quickly put to bed with a strong showing in the afternoon singles.

Bowe and Chapman were both beaten on the final hole in the first two matches, while Spence and Atkinson similarly fell as Durham made the tie competitive.

Walters briefly restored Cumbria’s lead with a 3&1 win, but his morning partner Thursby lost his tie as Durham restored parity once more.

With the score at 6-6 it appeared Cumbria would just reach the finishing line in the final matches of the afternoon.

But fears of a tight finish were dispelled as Cumbria’s back order of Walker, Carr, Edwards, and Mewse all took their matches, with Bell and Longcake atoning for their loss in the morning foursomes to assert home superiority.

The win moves Cumbria up one place to fourth, two points behind joint-leaders Yorkshire and Lancashire.

Next up for Cumbria are Lancashire away on August 8 at Ormskirk, just a few days after the Big Six on the Isle of Man.