Kent are the kings of English seniors golf again. They regained the national title from old rivals Cheshire when they beat them 5½-3½ on the concluding day of the County Finals at Tandridge on Thursday.

After the morning foursomes had been halved, Kent took command in the singles, winning four of the six games, their internationals proving better than Cheshire’s.

It was a delighted Kent captain Nick Allen who said: “We have always previously come second to Cheshire and it’s about time we came out on top.

“I am more than delighted for the team. I think we got away with murder in the final foursome which was halved because that half point could have proved crucial.

"I think the momentum shifted our way at that moment and we kept it going in the afternoon.”

Roger Fielding, the Cheshire skipper for all of their previous title-winning finals, was tasting defeat for the first time but praised Kent’s performance.

“We came to win and enjoyed the competition and I felt we put ourselves in a position to win, but we lost to the better team on the day.”

Kent got out of jail in the bottom foursomes through Dave Jessup, the former England speedway international, and Roger Salmon, who trailed throughout to Phil Slater and Bob Walker but won the 18th to grab that vital half.

Although Phil Jones won the top single for Cheshire, 4&3 over Chris Hurst, who sustained a penalty stroke on the 15th when he admitted standing on his own ball, it was Kent all the way.

Jessup, Andrew Stracey, Sam Smale and English champion Chris Reynolds (pictured), from Littlestone, all won out in the country, while Cheshire’s only other consolation was a 3 and 1 win for Stephen Baker over Howard Moxon.