HEREFORDSHIRE'S young golfers continue to impress on the national and county scene.

Kington's Darren Richards qualified for the prestigious Brabazon Trophy English Strokeplay Championship with a fine 72 over the testing West Lancashire links at Blundell Sands.

However, his two-round total of 154 (81, 73) in the championship proper saw him miss out on a place in the top 40 players who contested the final two rounds.

Gregg Morgan (Belmont) and Andy Lambert (Burghill Valley) failed to qualify with a 77 and NR respectively.

Previously Richards produced a fine display of golf in the Midland Closed Championships at Hollinwell, Nottinghamshire, to finish in a share of third place on 147 (72, 75).

Several good rounds in these prestigious tournaments have seen his handicap drop to below scratch at +1.2, but even this outstanding handicap was not enough to secure a place in the British Amateur Championship with the cut-off here being a +1.6.

Burghill Valley's Elliot Shaw was the top Herefordshire finisher in the Burdass Trophy, the Shropshire & Herefordshire Spring Trials played at Leominster, with a total of 147 (73, 74) for fourth place.

Club colleague Matt Harrison took the afternoon prize with a splendid 71 as all the players struggled on a course playing long after recent heavy rains.

Harrison, with help from Ben Synnock (Hereford) and Matt Davies (Kington), played a prominent part for the Shropshire and Herefordshire Junior team who made a splendid start in the Midlands Junior League with a resounding 12-2 win over Staffordshire at Westwood, North Staffs.

Synnock and Harrison paired up to gain a half in the morning foursomes, and then won their afternoon singles 2 and 1, and 1 up respectively.

Davies partnered Ashley Chesters (Hawkstone Park) to win his foursomes 4 and 2 and followed this up with a crushing 7 and 6 singles win.