Lancs beaten - as is Wayne

GUERNSEY'S boxers finished their domestic season with a workmanlike 7-4 win over Lancashire Select at St Pierre Park on Friday night. 'It was very pleasing,' said Amalgamated Boys' Club coach Graham Guilbert.

'They were a strong team and there were some very good bouts. It's the fittest we've ever been. We've trained very hard.

'We've got another half-a- dozen boys for next season and the club is looking really well.'

The evening did not get off to a good start for the home side with 12-year-old St Peter Port schoolboy Tom Maunder stopped in the first round of his 42kg bout by Ryan Bayley, also 12.

'He hit really hard and he was quite fast as well,' said Maunder.

'I'm very disappointed that it was the first round.'

However, the next two fights went the home side's way as Chris Sumner from Alderney had the better points over Ciaran Hayes in their 40kg match-up. This was followed by Grammar's Josh Harvey, who also won a points decision over his opponent, Stephen Binding.

The welterweight clash was named the best bout of the evening and the rangy 15-year-old Harvey was adjudged the best Guernsey boxer by Lancashire's coach Steve Walshaw.

'I'm shocked, I can't believe it,' said Harvey after picking up his honours.

'It's so hard and I was so nervous. It's only my second fight and to get the best bout as well, it's amazing.

'He hit like a hammer and some of his shots went straight to my head. I won it for my mum.'

The tables were turned on the Sarnians in the next two bouts as both Gage Demoor and Bradley Watson came undone. Bantamweight Blu Leahy stopped Demoor in the third round and it was a clash of two real characters as Watson, complete with his trademark tasselled trunks, took on Thomas 'The Tango Kid' Stubbs.

But it was an old problem for Watson as he had to stop in the second round due to sickness.

It was a shame as the fight had been in good shape up until then.

'I couldn't have kept it in,' he said.

'I felt it coming up and I tried to keep down but it made it worse. I felt really fit as well,' said the disappointed youngster.

Things got back on track for the greens in the next bout as the exciting flyweight, Adam Baker, took a unanimous points decision over Mikey McDonald. Baker looked a class act as the umpires scored it 13-3, 12-1 and 18-6 in his favour.

Hard-hitting Ashley Foster kept the wins coming for the home team as he next up defeated Isle of Man's John Walster. The Alderney boxer's crunching body blows saw him take the honours on points.

Matt Sawbridge made it three victories on the bounce for the greens against Stephen Backhouse and, although not at his best, crowd favourite James Woolnough defeated Ryan O'Hagan from Manchester.

In the penultimate bout, welterweight Shane Le Patourel had a unanimous points decision over Manchester's Craig Boardman but on the top of the bill light heavyweight Wayne Calladine came unstuck against Leigh's Robert Bordon.

The Guernsey-based Scot gave it his all, throwing some big punches, but it was Bordon who took the honours after repeatedly picking off Calladine with his jab.

Calladine and the home support could not believe it when the decision was announced at the end.

'I thought I had won and when they said it was unanimous I was waiting for my hand to be lifted,' said the 23-year-old carpenter.

'I'd love to fight him again.'