For the second time in four days Chester found itself facing a another strong team from Southport. This time, on Saturday, 10 July, the match was in the NW Federation weekend handicap league and played on Chester’s home lawns. The Chester team comprised three of the same members as in the earlier midweek handicap match, David Boyd (captain), David Guyton and Nigel Worthington, plus the club’s lowest handicap player, Richard Smith, who was getting some useful practice before a busy summer round of playing in open tournaments across the country. All the games were closely fought with the overall outcome in doubt right up to the closing strokes.
By the midway point at lunchtime, Chester had won the two singles games but had lost the doubles game in the morning. The four singles games in the afternoon also proved challenging and all continued until time was called. By the time three of the four afternoon games had finished, Chester had won one and lost two giving an equal score of 3 – 3. In the last game to finish, a late break by Richard Smith enabled Chester to catch up from behind and just overtake Southport giving an overall 4 – 3 win for Chester compared with a loss on the previous Wednesday.
Both this match and the match earlier in the week demonstrated the critical importance of fair handicaps as bisques, free shots during the game, had a major influence on the balance of the games.