THE Bolton and Bury eight-man team had a tough time in the Lancashire Regional Junior Final last week when a strong Southport team put them to the sword with a 9–3 winning scoreline at Preston Golf Club.

The B&B side won through to the final with some ease while Southport just made their final place by the narrowest of margins.

But on the day, Southport put a full squad together for the final with no less than three England internationals on show.

Southport soon showed their metal in the morning foursomes winning three of the four matches leaving only Callum McPhillips and Marcus Scholes of Turton and Old Links with a 5&4 victory.

In the afternoon singles, Southport turned up the heat with Oliver Clarke, the first of the England prodigies who sported a plus three handicap, overhauled Bolton’s Callum McPhillips by 6&5.

England’s Hollie Muse and Louisa Brunt both settled their matches against Old Links team-mates Michael Tunstall and Marcus Scholes with a 2-up and 1-up respectively giving the Southport side a six-match advantage.

With only two matches required, Southport clinched the Trophy with ease with only Nathan Brian and Alex Keiran from the B&B side who made a hole in the Southport defences with a 2-up and 1-up victories to help Bolton’s sorrows.