DORSET’S top young players took on teams from across the South and South West of England in the next round of the Inter-Counties Stage Two competition.

County teams travelled to Ma-lvern, Bromsgrove and Torquay, and also hosted matches at the West Hants Club and Bourne-mouth Squash Club, in an action-packed weekend.

Three teams of boys and two girls’ teams included young players from Dorchester, West Hants (WH), Bournemouth (B), David Lloyd Ringwood (DLR) and Two Riversmeet Christchurch (2RC).

Sadly, three of the Dorset teams were short of players due to injury and illness.

West Hants hosted the under-17 boys’ matches with Dorset’s team consisting of Phil Sargeant (WH), Rory Bell (WH), Joe Grange (WH) and Oliver Goodworth (BSC).

The boys faced tough opposition and played some great squash but finished last in their group, losing to Devon, Gloucestershire and Berkshire.

The under-15 boys, made up of Liam Alldridge (DLR) Sam Vale (BSC), Charlie Hill (WH), Toby Jane (WH), Callum Watts (Dorch) and Miles Ewins (WH), travelled to Torquay to take on Gloucester, Avon and Devon.

They all worked hard and had several closely-contested games even though they lost all their matches.

A somewhat depleted squad of under-13 boys went to Broms-grove to play Berkshire, Avon and Worcestershire.

Luca Campbell-Wynter (2RM), Oliver Moffat (Dorch) and Michael Rides (2RM) made up the team and they fought hard to finish second in their group. They beat Berkshire and Avon and lost against Worcestershire.

The under-15 girls, Abbi Hurd (WH), Charlotte Aubin (DLR), Casey Jade (2RM), hosted Wor-cester, Hertfordshire and Hamp-shire at Bournemouth Squash Club.

Unfortunately, because of in-jury, the girls were only able to field three players instead of four – Hurd won two of her three matches as Dorset propped up their group.

There was better news for Maia Pannell (2RM), Amy Campbell-Wynter (2RM), Katie Mar-tin–Davies (WH) and Lucy Hill (WH) when the under-13 girls went to the Manor Park Squash Club in Malvern.

Wins against Worcestershire and Gloucestershire were followed by defeat to Bucking-hamshire in the decider, leaving them second.

All the girls played well but special mention should go to Pannell for winning all her matches.