Haywards Heath secured the first major success in their 81-year-old history in emphatic style to win The Davies and Tate Trophy.

The eight players representing their scratch team brushed Worthing aside 10-2 in glorious sunshine at Cowdray Park before a gallery of at least 500.

Since the Sussex Matchplay championship began in 1971 it is doubtful if any team has achieved such a sweeping victory in the final.

David Harmer, the Sussex secretary, could not recall a comparable difference between finalists.

Four-time winners Worthing, the biggest club in the county, trailed 3-1 in the foursomes and it was in the morning they registered their only victory. Haywards Heath dominated the singles with six straight wins while matches were halved.

Worthing were regarded as slight favourites based on past performances with their last Trophy success three years ago. But very quickly the day went in favour of Les Chandler's team as Craig McCollum and Richard Wigmore won their foursomes 4 and 3 against Arwel Roberts, the Worthing team captain, and Scott Williams. That set the tone.

From that point on it was Haywards Heath all the way except for Keith Hale and Steve Godley securing Worthing's only point with a 4 and 3 win over James Miller and Ben Arnold.

Chandler declined to single out a particular match, preferring to pay all round tribute to the team.

He said: "We have come from nowhere in the last two years. After we beat West Hove, the holders, in the quarter-final I thought we were in with a good chance of winning especially on a neutral course and irrespective of who we were likely to play."

Haywards Heath's triumph is seen in greater perspective as the 7.5-4.5 victory over Royal Eastbourne at Worthing was their first semi-final appearance in 25 years.

Chandler said: "All our players came back from their practice rounds saying the course was in such great condition that we could have no excuses if we lost. I must say Cowdray Park is the best I have seen anywhere this year and Jonathan Smith, the head greenkeeper, and his staff must be congratulated.

"As for the manner of our performance, I think winning six of the eight singles in a final must be a record. Winning was all down to the hard work put in by the players who have practised very hard since the semi-final.

"They are a team; they all play for each other, win or lose. It is hard to single out a match, they all played their part. Curiously, our smallest margin of success during the whole competition was at West Hove by 7-5."

The youngest member of Haywards Heath's winning team was McCollum, 20, who played off plus three.

Daddy of the side is Gerry Honeysett, 56, a retired police sergeant. Honeysett was a member of the Haywards Heath team that beat Slinfold Park 2.5-1.5 in the final of the Gilbert Print at Ifield four days earlier.

Another cause for celebration when Haywards Heath returned home was enjoyed by club president Ian Miller whose son James was a member of the winning team.

Eric Reekie, Worthing's team manager, acknowledged the superiority of Haywards Heath. He and his players behaved in the best traditions of the game on the course and at the prize giving presided over by Phil Davies, the genial managing director of the sponsors.

Reekie said: "Haywards Heath played the better golf on the day. Both teams were evenly matched handicap-wise and the score was a bit of a shock. But we shall be back.

"We went into the match taking nothing for granted and knew Haywards Heath would be a tough nut to crack and so it proved. Looking back, I feel that I have to hold my hands up and say that my preparation for the team on the day was all wrong.

"I felt that as we were not too far away from Cowdray that we should travel on the day and this was a mistake. We arrived with what appeared to be plenty of time but, in hindsight, it wasn't. We ended up rushing and this could possibly have led to the unsettlement of the side.

"Haywards Heath got it right by staying overnight in Midhurst purely because they had so far to travel and this gave them more time when arriving at the club before play."

Results: Foursomes (Worthing names first): Arwel Roberts and Scott Williams lost to Craig McCollum and Richard Wigmore 4 and 3, Alan Laverty and Andrew Tolman lost to Andy Hull and Rob McNeil 3 and 1, Craig Newman and David Fluke lost to Alistair Malins and Gerry Honeysett 3 and 2, Keith Hale and Steve Godley bt James Miller and Ben Arnold 4 and 3.

Singles: Fluke and Arnold halved, Hale lost to Wigmore 2 and 1, Newman lost to McCollum 4 and 2, Williams lost to Malins 4 and 3, Roberts lost to Hull 4 and 3; Tolman lost to McNeil 2 and 1, Godley lost to Honeysett two down, Laverty and Miller halved.

Haywards Heath's path to the final: 1st rnd: bye. 2nd rnd: bt Hill Barn 10-2 at Hill Barn. 3rd rnd: bt Ham Manor 10.5-1.5 at Haywards Heath. 4th rnd: bt West Hove 7-5 at West Hove. Semi-final: bt Royal Eastbourne 7.5-4.5 at Worthing. Final: bt Worthing 10-2 at Cowdray Park.