MICHAEL HUNT and Ashley Siddle helped Lancashire to a 9-8 victory over Northumberland at Alnmouth.

Burnley club champion and 2001 Harold Ryden winner Hunt, 24, partnered Ken Hudson in the foursomes but lost two and one in the morning.

But in the afternoon he beat Alan Donaldson one up in his singles match.

Rossendale golfer Siddle, 19, who, like Hunt, was making his debut for the full county side won both his foursomes and singles matches.

Hunt said: "It was a good first Lancashire match for me. I was under pressure in my singles game but I sneaked the victory."

The county match was poised at 3-3 after the morning's foursomes games and Siddle and Hunt picked up two vital points in the afternoon to help secure the win.

Hunt played against Gary Cowan and Adam Minnikin in his foursomes match and their opponents were three up after three holes, giving Hunt and Hudson a mountain to climb.

"Foursomes must be the most difficult golf to play," said Hunt. "You can never get into your stride.

"We missed the green on the first hole and didn't get up and down and then hit a bad drive on the second.

"They birdied the third so we were three down.

"We got it back to two and then they went back to three and it was nip and tuck the rest of the way round.

"If it hadn't been for those first two holes there would have only been a hole in it all the way round.

"In the singles match in the afternoon the wind was blowing a completely different way.

"I was still downhearted after the morning and I hit it into the rough on the first but Ian's caddy managed to find it and I managed to get it up and down to halve it.

"I birdied the second and third so I was two up after three holes.

"He got one back on the 16th so I was one up but I managed to hold on."