YOUNG golfers from Herefordshire continue to impress on the wider scene.

Jonathan Devereux (The Herefordshire) fired a level par total of 142 (71,71) to finish fourth in the Shropshire and Herefordshire Amateur Championships at Oswestry, with rising star Andy Lambert (Burghill Valley) sharing seventh spot on 144 (73,71).

Darren Richards (Kington) was a shot behind on 145 (71,74), and Matthew Harrison (Burghill Valley) underlined his promise with a 148 (72,76).

The twin counties captain Barry Ruddick (Shrewsbury) claimed the title in a four-hole play-off against Gavin Chandler (Bridgnorth) after they posted identical 36-hole totals of 139 (69,70).

Richards had earlier maintained his excellent early season form by winning the prestigious Frilford Heath Scratch Gold Medal. He fired 146 (72,74) over the demanding Red and Blue courses at Frilford before clinching the title with a four-hole play-off over Midlands star Sam Mason.

This weekend, Richards and Devereux will be representing Shropshire and Herefordshire in the Midlands Team Championships at Gog Magog, Cambridgshire.

Each of the 10 counties will field six players, and the winning team will represent the Midlands in the English finals.

The crowded amateur fixture list means that both will miss the Herefordshire Amateur Championships at Belmont, as will Lambert who is playing in a Wales Order of Merit event.

However defending champion Dan Jarman will be out to retain his title and will again be challenged by last year's runner-up Jim Payne.

q Veteran Keith Williams aced the par-3 seventh hole at Herefordshire on the way to posting a superb 69-6-63 to claim the Centenary Cup.

However he had to rely on a card countback to hold off the challenge of Des Keohne, 76-13-63, to take the trophy.

Steve Chambers fired 77-12-65 for third place, with Robert Vaughan a further shot adrift on 76-10-66.

The B team defeated their Leominster counterparts 3-1 in the Scratch League thanks to victories from Steve Griffiths, Steve Gwynne and Andrew Wheatstone.

q Richard Vale carded 39 stableford points to claim Belmont's Stableford Cup, holding off the challenge of runner-up Chris Cole and third placed Luke Williams who both posted 38 points.

In the senior section Stewart Robertson was a clear winner of the Virgo Cup with 39 stableford points, two clear of runner-up Paul Gimlick, with Mike Ingram a further two points adrift in third place.

Martin Burton and Angus Maclean were the winners of section one and two respectively in the June medal.

q Bob Green will certainly attract the attention of the Handicap Secretary at Brockington after producing an excellent nett score of 61 to win the Gary Gwilliam Memorial Medal.

Results: 1 Bob Green 88-27-61, 2 Ian Power 86-21-65, 3 Peter Robinson 83-17-66.

Oaker Engineering Trophy: 1 Ian Power 86-22-64, 2 Peter Boughey 79-15-64, 3 Tim James 90-27-63.

q Juniors came to the fore when Dan Morris and Matt Davies took the Ravenhill Cup better-ball pairs competition on a card countback after three pairs had posted impressive nett 62s.

Their back nine of 31 edged Wyndham Evans and Lee Wilson into second spot, with Mike Richards and Joe James taking third place.

A four-ball scramble invariably produces a close finish. This was certainly the case in the Bradnor Scramble, with Rob Pritchard, Colin Fensom, Phil Jordan and George Smith firing 57-4.1-52.9, to pip Tracey Sandford, Rob Metcalf, Dave Bradley and Shaun Galliers, 57-4-53, by the narrowest possible margin.

Ron Davies-Jones scored a second successive medal win in the senior section when a blistering 77-12-65 claimed the June medal.

This gave him a four-shot margin in division one over runner-up Joe James, 80-11-69, with Pip Ryde, 90-18-72, claiming third place.

In division two Wilf Hughes took the top spot with 88-20-68, followed home by Harvey Bromley, 90-21-69, and Steve Howard on 100-28-72.

After being on the wrong end of a 6-0 drubbing at Worfield, Kington's seniors regrouped to claim a 4-2 home win over Sapey.

Family and friends of former seniors' stalwart Bill Johnston gathered to pay tribute to his memory with the placing of a bench on the course, a fitting tribute to the former Black Watch major who played a big part in getting the section going.

q Andrew Lambert confirmed his developing talent when he won the inaugural Steve Bennett Cup, given by last year's Burghill Valley captain for category one and two players.

In testing conditions the youngster fired a winning total of 149 (74,75), three shots clear of Carl Rose on 152 (73,79). Rose took the nett prize with 152-10-142, two better than runner-up Guy Haines.

q Leominster's June medal produced a blanket finish in division one and two with Richard Maloney and Lee Jones firing nett 68s to win their respective sections.

Charles Sanders posted a best of the day nett 64 to win division three.

Results, division one: 1 Richard Maloney 79-11-68, 2 Wilf Arrowsmith 79-10-69, 3 Steve Brimfield 80-11-69, 4 Philip Manns 79-10-69; division two: 1 Lee Jones 84-16-68, 2 Steve Olive 87-18-69, 3 Colin Brimfield 82-13-69, 4 Graham Loader 86-17-69; division three: 1 Charles Sanders 92-28-64, 2 Richard Brown 86-20-66, 3 Brian Griffiths 95-28-67, 4 Robert Stokes 90-23-67.

Terry Richards and Derrick Jones fired a nett 68 and 67 respectively to win their divisions in the seniors' June medal.

Edward Jones finished a shot behind Richards in Division One and Dennis Macklin was four adrift of Jones in Division Two.

Rob Holloway scooped the pool to win the senior's away day at Ombersley with an impressive 43 stableford points.

q Ron Ellis finished well clear of the field to win the Sapey June Mid-Week medal when he posted a fine nett 62.

Results, division one (0-14): 1 Ian Duggan 75-10-65, 2 Paul Broadrick 73-5-68, 3 Keith Leadbetter 80-11-69; division two (15-28): 1 Ron Ellis 83-21-62, 2 Peter Norton 85-19-66, 3 Richard Jones 89-19-70.

q After their hiccup at Stinchcombe Hill, where their unbeaten run came to an end, Ross-on-Wye seniors returned to winning ways and completed a double with a 5-3 home win over their Herefordshire visitors.

However the glow of victory soon faded when they went down to their second defeat with a narrow 4-3 reverse at Monmouth.