Northcliffe's talented young golfers have made it to Spain for the second time in two years.

They defied atrocious weather at the Old Thorns golf and country club in Liphook, Hampshire to beat off nine rival teams and take the English final of the Sunday Telegraph junior team event.

Now they travel to La Manga to tackle the winners of the Scotland, Ireland and Wales finals from November 24-28. Two years ago a team from Northcliffe won the national junior team title at La Manga.

Northcliffe's 2001 team were lifted by a tremendous performance from Rob Hillas, whose gross 75 on the par-72 course was the second best round of the day. In the six-man competition, the best gross score and four best nett scores of five count to the team total with one score discounted. Northcliffe totalled 393 to finish six shots clear of Tyrrells Wood from Guildford, with Harrogate a further shot away.

Next best nett was 15-handicap Richard Watts with 72. Ben Walker, off 11, shot 74, James Kelly (9) another 74 and Patrick Young (15) completed the team with 78. Non-counter was Shaun Taylor (7), who shot 89.

Northcliffe professional Mick Hillas, who has played a major part in coaching the youngsters, said: "I have never seen a course so wet in all my life. I think in most other circumstances it would have been called off, but all the teams had travelled a long way and it would have been a big disappointment for everyone if it had been off.

"The greens and the tees were excellent, but the fairways were absolutely soaked. You were allowed to play on preferred lies, but you would almost have been as well dropping the ball in the rough!

"But the boys handled it really well, I was extremely proud of them. They have been practising hard for the last couple of months, sometimes continuing in the dark, and it really paid off."