LANCASHIRE skipper Bob Bardsley has drafted in young guns Tommy Fleetwood and Sam Stuart for the opening Northern Counties League match against Durham at Ormskirk on Saturday.

The Denton stalwart has stuck to his pre-season promise to select in-form players irrespective of age.

And he has warned that long- established members of his side could find their places threatened by other members of a fast-improving group of youngsters.

Five have been selected for the English Golf Union coaching scheme, including Fleetwood, who is fulfilling the potential he showed as a child prodigy.

"He's a very good player who's been around for a long time yet he's only just turned 15," said Bardsley.

Skills

"All these lads have been recognised for their individual skills and results they are putting in.

"We need these players to take over the full-time positions, but I am not ruling out any age group."

Fleetwood, from Formby Hall, is believed to be the youngest player to wear a Red Rose shirt at senior level.

He impressed selectors with a solid performance in last month's Four Counties Tournament, while Stuart, 18, from Chorley, has achieved some fine results in the Mitsushiba Northern Order of Merit.

"We have lost only Sean Doherty, who has turned pro, so we are in a healthy position," added Bardsley.

Cheshire skipper Ray Hughes, who has lost three players to the pro ranks, has also called up youngsters Ian Davies, from Hazel Grove, and Sandiway's Adam Wills for their trip to Berwick to face Northumberland.

LANCS: M Baldwin (Royal Birkdale), R Bardsley (Denton), G Boardman (Castle Hawk), J Carroll (Huyton & Prescot), D Corsby (Fleetwood), M Cox (Royal Birkdale), T Fleetwood (Formby Hall), M Hunt (Pleasington), J Hurst (Shaw Hill), R Smithies (Manchester), S Stuart (Chorley), R Walker (Frodsham).

CHESHIRE: S Capper (Caldy), I Winstanley (Warrington), D Marmion (Delamere Forest), R Hughes (Caldy), A Hardie (Astbury), J Murphy (Shrigley Hall), K Kean (Ashton-on-Mersey), D Peel (Stockport), A Wills (Sandiway), C Lewis (Prenton), I Davie (Hazel Grove), N Andrew (Ringway).



BOB Williams and Jeff More clocked up 42 points at Birchwood, their home course, to win the South East Lancs GA stableford.