Sidmouth GC croquet team has retained the Seagull Trophy against Budleigh Salterton.

The game was held on September 3 in some great weather conditions.

The six-member team, led by Steve Pearson, began the day with a bang by securing victories in three out of four fiercely contested initial doubles games.

Standout player John Coombes bested a significantly higher-ranked adversary, placing Sidmouth in a favourable position with three singles games also under their belt.

A lunch break was soon followed by an equally bountiful afternoon session for the Sidmouth team.

John Coombes shined once again, contributing to winning three out of the initial four-afternoon singles games.

At this point, Sidmouth held an invincible 9-3 lead.

The final singles matches ended in a draw, however, Sidmouth continued to reign supreme with an overall 11-5 triumph.

The enjoyable day was rounded off with everyone enjoying teas and cakes and looking forward to a return match at Budleigh in 2025.

A blend of skill and camaraderie shone through on the day as Sidmouth etched another victory in their Seagull Trophy journey.