ROCHFORD Hundred youngsters Mitchell Sarling, Bradley Bawden and Taylor Centre have helped Essex reach the national final of the England Golf Boys County Championship.

Playing as part of a six-man team, the trio played 36 holes on one day with the highest score of each round being dropped from the overall team score.

On a challenging Copthorne Golf Club, Essexwere not on form early on.

And, with four out of the six players having finished their rounds, Essex were a total of 14 over par.

However, Bawden was able to rescue the morning with a fourunder par round of 67 that could so easily have been six-under had he not lost his ball on the penultimate hole.

Despite that hiccup, a morning that looked to be going wrong for the Essex side finished with them sitting top of the leaderboard.

In the next round, Essex did well from tee to green but putts were sliding past the hole.

Standings had become very close and all involved, including team managers, were in agreement the win was up for grabs for many of the sides.

But, down the closing holes it was becoming clear Essex had given little or nothing back to the course.

Sarling and Todd Clements both shot one under par, Elliot Fullalove was level and Taylor Carter two over par.

That proved to be enough for Essex and in total for the afternoon rounds they were three over par, a grand total of 13 over par for the day and winners by a margin of three shots from Hampshire to crown Essex as regional champions.

The victory secured a place in the England Golf Boys County Championship National Final which will be held at the Sandiway