England’s women combined teamwork with individual brilliance to record a stunning 5-2 win against Sweden in the final of the European Ladies’ Team Championships.
The triumph was England’s 11th in the event’s 62-year history and Whitley Bay’s Rosie Belsham played her part in the team’s victory in the week-long event.
England – represented by Emily Toy, Lianna Bailey, Annabell Fuller, Rosie, Charlotte Heath and Caley McGinty – entered the final, played at Royal County Down in Northern Ireland, as huge underdogs. However, a foursomes win in the morning for the partnership of Toy and McGinty allowed the teams to share the spoils and go into the five afternoon singles locked at 1-1.
Singles wins for McGinty, Fuller and Heath along with half points supplied by Toy and Rosie gave England victory.
England qualified for the top flight of matches in fifth place before beating Czech Republic 5-2 in the quarter-finals. They then beat Scotland 4-3 in the semi-final, Rosie winning her singles match 1up.
