HOLDERS Emma Brown and Carol Simpson produced an astonishing performance to retain their Aldwark Trophy crown.

Brown, a plus three handicapper, and Simpson, who plays off five, accumulated a brilliant 44 points at Sandburn Hall GC to win the trophy by six in the betterball stableford competition.

Nearest the unstoppable Malton & Norton GC duo were Pike Hills' Maxine Bailey and Marilyn Ingle, who claimed second place on countback from another Malton pair - Judy Butler and Julie Fishburn.

This latest victory formed part of a superb season for Brown, who won her seventh York Union Ladies title earlier in the campaign as well as being part of the Malton side that has surged into the last 16 of the National Golf Club Classic.

Brown said: "We both played really well. I had a few birdies and Carol had a few and we worked really well together.

"The greens were fantastic and were in excellent condition but we didn't know what the other scores were.

"I said to Carol that if we could do one point better than last year, when we won it at Pike Hills, we would have to wait and see."

The pair will now go for a treble at York GC next year.

On the National Golf Club Classic clash, which see Malton entertain Scottish outfit Minto, Brown added: "It is a big advantage at this stage to have a home tie. Everyone is in good form and looking forward to it."