HOME advantage certainly paid off for Devon Women's second team as they battled through a windy day at Teignmouth Golf Club to record a terrific 6–3 victory over Cornwall.

It wasn't a day for the faint-hearted! With dry, fiery fairways and a strong wind sending golf balls bouncing and running in every direction, club selection became something of a guessing game. The par-three 11th summed it up perfectly, with shots that only just carried the quarry ending up 30 yards beyond the green.

There was also a special moment before play got underway as Woodbury's Isla Schofield made her Devon Second Team debut – just one day after celebrating her 15th birthday. A fantastic milestone and hopefully the first of many county appearances.

Devon made an excellent start in the morning foursomes. Georgia Denega (Churston) and Tracey Chandler (Okehampton) flew out of the blocks, racing to four up after just four holes before cruising to an impressive 5&4 victory. Emily Coombes (Torrington) and Helen Chivers (East Devon) came up against a strong Cornwall pairing and went down 4&2, but Belle Tarr (Churston) and Nikki Elliott (Bigbury) restored Devon's advantage with a confident 4&2 win to give the home side a 2–1 lunchtime lead.

The singles provided plenty of excitement.

Georgia was first to finish, once again taking control early and wrapping up another convincing 5&4 win to edge Devon closer to the overall result.

Then came Tracey's thriller. One down with four to play, she squared things up on the 15th, slipped behind again on the 16th, before showing real determination to win both the 17th and 18th and snatch a memorable victory.

On her county debut, Isla showed exactly why she's one to watch. Facing a vastly more experienced opponent, she played some lovely golf and battled back to all square after the 16th. An unfortunate bounce on the 18th left her in thick grass by the boundary fence, allowing Cornwall to claim the match, but it was a hugely encouraging first outing in Devon colours.

The winning point fittingly came from Lorna Elliott (Teignmouth). After managing the Second Team for the past three years before handing over the role, Lorna returned to the playing side and delivered when it mattered most, sealing a 3&2 victory. It also brought a welcome sigh of relief for new Second Team Manager Abby Turner with the remaining matches threatening to swing Cornwall's way at one stage.

Nikki Elliott then added another excellent point. Two down after nine holes, she fought back brilliantly, levelling the match by the 11th before taking control. A superb putt on the 16th put her dormie two, and after a cracking five-iron into the par-four 17th finished just right of the green a solid par secured a deserved 2&1 win.

The final match went all the way. Belle Tarr refused to give in, driving the green at the 17th and making birdie to extend the contest when dormie two down. Her Cornwall opponent responded in style by driving the final green herself and matching Belle's birdie to claim the visitors' last point.

After last week's disappointment away to Dorset this was exactly the response Devon were looking for. Every player contributed, the matches were played in terrific spirit, despite the testing conditions, and the team thoroughly deserved their 6–3 victory.