Hip, hip hoorah for Foster

TREVOR Foster rolled back the years to win the Acorn Trophy for the eighth time at his club Accrington. And it was his first 36 hole event since he claimed the title for a fourth successive occasion in 2005.

“I had a hip operation shortly after and I did not start feeling better until this season,” he said. “Maybe I’ve pushed myself a little bit more but I did not have any after affects and it’s given me the incentive to play in the Antlers at Pleasington next week.

“I recently joined the club and won the scratch competition there last week,” he added.

Foster, 51, who devotes much of his time to 19-year-old daughter Nikki, a GB&I and England international, admitted he regretted retiring from playing for Lancashire after 108 appearances in 2003.

“I should have carried on for a bit longer,” he said as he posted scores of 69 and 71, level par all told, to win by two from Wilpshire’s Brett Langstreth.

“I had five birdies in the first round and played better in the next but the putts wouldn’t drop,” said the winner of the Cleveland Srixon Northern Order of Merit in 1989.

Meanwhile, the main contenders in the rankings were missing at Accrington because they were helping Lancashire to a 14.5-3.5 demolition of Cumbria at Royal Lytham & St Annes to stay top of the Northern Counties League.

SCORES (Par=70): 140 Trevor Foster (Accrington) 69 71; 142 Brett Langstreth (Wilpshire) 70 72; 143 Ian Hardman (Accrington) 69 74; 144 Nick Uttley (Nelson) 73 71; 145 Shaun Field (Nelson) 75 70, Louis Laviscount (Wilpshire) 73 72, Daniel Nutter (Clitheroe) 72 73, Michael Hearn (Bolton) 71 74; 147 Tony Harwood (Blackburn) 74 73; 148 Ken Hudson (Hart Common) 70 78; 150 Sam Townend (Wilpshire) 75 75; 151 Charlie Ellis (Nelson) 75 76.

STANDINGS: 610pts John Carroll (Huyton & Prescot); 400 Sean Towndrow (Southport & Ainsdale); 370 James Bolton (Formby); 310 Kris Taylor (Formby); 295 Steve McGlynn (Blackburn); 260 Richie Blundell (Hillside); 250 Mark Young (Longridge); 225 Jack Brooks (Pleasington), Mark Rabone (Southport & Ainsdale); 160 James Newton (Prestbury); 150 Paul Kinnear (Formby), James McCormick (Styal), Trevor Foster (Accringron).