BEN Fish's plans of taking up a scholarship at Troy State University in Alabama have moved a step closer with him passing the entrance examination.

The good news for his club, Blackburn Harriers, is that he won't be going until August or even January, so he will be available for the Northern Mens League Team this season as the club aim to bounce back after relegation from Division One.

Fish reached third in the National Rankings in the under-20s 5000m with 14:38 recorded at Wythenshawe last May, so he will be a mainstay of the team.

The second division will have added spice this year as local rivals Pendle and Burnley are also in the Harriers group, and on Sunday Fish put the finishing touches to his summer preparations with second place at the Lancaster Three Bridges 10K Road Race.

The race celebrates the town's new Millennium Bridge at St George's Quay on the River Lune, and on a flat and fast course Fish disputed the lead with Mark Croasdale over the first half of the race before the Bingley Harrier, who had logged 2:21 in the London Marathon seven days earlier, pulled away.

Fish took one of the final junior titles of his career a month short of his 20th birthday with a time of 33:05.

Fellow Harrier Peter Lynch was the first over-50 in 37:36.

Lynch is enjoying a rich seam of form which saw him become the Lancashire over-50s Half Marathon Champion at Leyland recently - his first County title for 30 years!

Accrington's John Wieczorek is another athlete showing his best form, he crossed the line 4th in 34:43.

Michael Green first established the Harriers link with Troy when he went to study Sport and Fitness Management five years ago, then last September twins Liam and Rob Barton went over to study Leisure Management - the course which is now interesting Fish.

Green had cherished hopes of running in the Commonwealth Games marathon this summer and ran the distance for the first time on December 8 in the Huntsville Times Rocket City Marathon where he finished fifth with a time of 2:26:05.

Green said: "I enjoyed the experience, although the last eight miles hurt a bit.

"I am happy considering that I skimped on the training a little bit. I'd like to get another marathon on a faster course in the next six months."

In the end, studying for his Masters Degree, which finishes in May, and the little matter of getting married to his American girlfriend Susan last month, caused him to shelve his ambitions, although he still sees the marathon as his future.