Ray Connolly walked away with the Collingtree Club Championship title for the second successive year after finishing three shots clear of Brendon Moss with a 36-hole total of 147.

After shooting an opening score of 75 to sit one behind Moss at the half way stage, Connolly bagged birdies on the ninth and 13th holes on the second day to secure top spot with a closing 72.

The result capped a fantastic weekend for the Connolly family as Ray’s teenage son Jack clinched the net prize with a total of 133.

The 18-year-old shot the leading net score on both days as he followed a brilliant opening 64 with a 69 to finish nine strokes ahead of Trevor Twelftree and Connor Rosling.

Cold Ashby

Net 66 was the leading mark in both the Presidents Putter and Ladies July Medal as Younus Nabi edged one ahead of Jack Hall and David Tinston, while Jayne Neale finished seven clear in the latter comp.

The Mixed American Greensomes witnessed some extraordinary scoring patterns as Ian Thomas and Lyn Thomas (45 points) took the honours thanks to three net eagles in five holes around the turn.

Dennis Neale and Jayne Neale finished three points adrift in the runners-up spot after blasting an incredible tally of 26 on the inward half.

Brampton Heath

Alec Francis saw his handicap drop to just 2.9 after the youngster smashed 47 points in the July Midweek Stableford. Roger Tebbutt (45) was second, with Ben Jones in third on 42.

Frank Ashford also received a significant handicap cut after winning the Seniors Summer Stableford with a tally of 44 points.

The runners-up prize went to Barry Nicholas on 43, with Robert Frost, Brian Bentley and David Heasman two points further off the pace.

Mark Handley parred the opening six holes on his way to a convincing victory in the July Stableford as the 17-handicapper carded 44 points. Gordon Brawn (40) was second on countback from Sam Digby.

The Ladies July Stableford was a little bit closer as Susan Hancock (41) finished two ahead of Pamela Hibberd.

Marilyn Roberts lifted the Ladies Captain’’s Trophy after shooting 38 points. Eileen Andrew (36) was second by a single point from Karen Bowman.

Whittlebury

Ten gross pars were on the winning scorecard of Bradley Levett in the July Stableford as the 16-handicapper clinched a countback victory.

Steven McEneaney bagged the same mark of 41 points to take the third section by two from Tom Daffurn and Brian Greaves.

Jason Brotherston shot 40 in Division Two and David Castle won the top category with 38 as both men picked up vital Order of Merit points in their pursuit of current leader Ian Forman.

Northants County

Mark Goodwin took the honours in the July Medal after edging out Rodney Haig on countback with a round of net 70.

Peter Twiselton finished one stroke behind Goodwin in the second division, while Haig clinched the first category by one and three shots respectively from Andrew Hopkinson and Harry Larkins.

Club greenkeeper Larkins had the consolation of picking up the Baxter Cup after finishing as the leading divisional winner from the Saturday qualifying comps.

Hellidon Lakes

Ashley Starbuck enjoyed playing the par five holes during the Celebration Cup as the high-handicapper carded two birdies whilst shooting the leading tally of 45 points.

Graham Newport (42) finished in second position by a couple of points from Richard French and Peter Bosworth.

Malcolm Hepple was successful in the July Midweek Stableford by three points from John Rathbone after bagging 41. Alan Palmer, Sid Gooden and John Parry all carded 37 points.

Overstone Park

Consistency was the name of the game for Douglas Simpson in the July Yellow Tee Stableford as the 21-handicapper carded eight gross pars and 10 bogeys to bag 47 points.

Jason Cockerill (45) had the next best score, Mengis Ghile (43) topped Division One, Simon Marshall (42) led the middle section, while the ladies comp went to Mara Wright (37) on countback from Rosemary Scott.

The Bogey Competition witnessed another victory for a high-handicapper as Paul Clark beat the course by four holes. Dave Cummings and Taylor Sargeant both finished two up.

Northampton

Douglas Griffin birdied both short holes on the front nine during the fifth round of the Northampton Cup as the 20-handicapper carded a magnificent winning net 64.

Ross Skidmore saw his handicap cut for the fifth time in eight competitive rounds after topping the first section with a net 70. Jason Brown clinched Division Two with the same score.

Kingsthorpe

Max Armstrong and Gavin Hitchcock clinched the Battle of Britain Betterball Stableford top prize after shooting 44 points.

Kyle Knight and Phil Summers (42) had to settle for the runners-up spot on countback from Louis Wixon and Ian Townsend.

Staverton

Paul White’s greater consistency proved vital in the July Stableford as the mid-handicapper clinched the top prize on countback after carding six pars in his last seven holes in a tally of 39 points.

Lee Remington had to settle for second spot after mixing three birdies with three double bogeys over his closing dozen holes. Roger Chamberlain (38) was one of four players just off the pace.

Cherwell Edge

Junior member Luis Witherall was the standout performer on Captain’s Day as he fired a brilliant round of net 60. Kevin Cole and Tony Goswell (both net 65) led the first and third divisions respectively.

Mark Coleman nudged one ahead of Sean Lapper and Ken Trower in the July Sunday Stableford after bagging 38 points.

Farthingstone

Chris Aworth will be looking to extend his lead at the top of the Summer Order of Merit in the coming weeks as he currently sits just three points ahead of Graham Goode. Alan Tite is a further three adrift on 64 points.

Whittlebury Park improved their chances of staying in the Scratch League third division with a battling 4-4 draw at Farthingstone.

Although George Briar (one hole) and Ian Bell (2&1) won the opening two games for the hosts, a couple of 4&3 victories in the middle ties kept Whittlebury level.

A win apiece on the 18th hole maintained the stalemate and although Darren Matthews won game seven with two holes to spare, the visitors clinched a draw by taking the final tie.

The result leaves Priors Hall in trouble after they went down 5½-2½ at Cold Ashby, who look to have found their form after a poor start to the campaign.

Ashby took the opening two games 5&3 but the away team responded with a half for Ryan Genner and a 2&1 victory for Michael Chambers.

Ian Abrahams lost on the closing hole for the Corby club but team-mate Callum Farr was successful on the 18th hole.

It proved to be the last high for Priors however as the hosts recorded a couple of convincing wins in the remaining two matches.

Priors now need to win at Farthingstone by a scoreline of 6-2 in their final outing to guarantee their place in the third tier.

Division 1

Peterborough Milton made it a hat-trick of Scratch League titles in clinical fashion as they thrashed closest rivals Wellingborough 8-0 at home.

With Wellingborough only needing a draw to secure their first championship since 1984, Milton got off to the perfect start as Rory Edwards and Ian Symonds won the opening two ties on the 12th green.

The visitors looked set to reduce the deficit until Peterborough’s Josh Scimeca won four of the last five holes to beat Adam Sherlock down the last.

Richard Cole added another point for the double defending champions, before Tom Burgh sealed the team victory with a birdie two on the 16th hole against Chris Howes.

Chris White held off John Barrett’s fightback to make it 6-0, Adrian Firman walked in with a 3&2 victory under his belt against Kyson Lloyd, before Phil Hughes beat Ryan Connolly on the 18th to confirm the whitewash.

Handicap League

Group D

Defending champions Hellidon Lakes are on the verge of qualifying for the semi-finals after defeating their Group D rivals Farthingstone 15-6 at home.

After taking the first two games by one and two holes respectively, Hellidon strengthened their advantage with a five-hole victory for Paul King and Daniel Harris in the next tie.

Farthingstone, who beat Hellidon 14-5 at home earlier in the season, responded with an excellent six-hole success for Alan Wiffill and Stuart Bates.

It proved to be a false dawn for the visitors as Simon Keyte and Gary Caunt took the next match by three holes, before Michael Canning and Kevin Lovell completed the scoring with a four-hole victory.

Staverton, who face Hellidon both home and away, are now the only team who can realistically catch the 2012 winners, who face a trip to Delapre in their other game.

Intermediate League

First place in Group B remains in the balance after Peterborough Milton completed their campaign by defeating 2012 champions Wellingborough 5-3 at home to move into top spot.

Milton started strongly as they took three of the first four ties and grabbed a half in the other when Martin Humphries got up and down from a bunker on the last hole to finish level with Joe Griffiths.

Although Duncan Cornish bagged Wellingborough’s first point with a convincing 7&6 success, Howard Boylan confirmed the Peterborough victory on the 17th hole.

With Wellingborough still in with a chance of topping the group if they beat Northampton at home in the last match, the half and win for Tim Veal and Roger Butler in games seven and eight respectively could still prove vital.

Ladies Scratch League

Wellingborough remain on track to defend their Scratch League title after making it two wins out of two this season with a 2-1 victory over Staverton Park at Northampton GC.

Although Boro captain Mary MacLaren lost a tight contest with Meghan Liddington down the last, Carol Gibbs and Gill Snelson grabbed points for Wellingborough, who beat Northampton 3-0 in May.

Wellingborough, who hosted the second round of games in June, will take on Northants County in their next match at Staverton Park GC towards the end of August.

Ladies Cecil Leitch

Kingsthorpe have progressed through to the last four of the Ladies Cecil Leitch after topping their division.

They will now face Northants County on Wednesday, August 14 at Overstone Park, while the other semi-final see Northampton take on Whittlebury Park.

Ladies European Tour

Kettering pro Charley Hull strengthened her claims for a Solheim Cup spot after finishing ninth in the Ladies European Masters at The Buckinghamshire GC.

The 17-year-old, who was playing in her home country for the first time as a pro golfer, moved into third position on the 2013 LET Order of Merit after shooting 208.

Competing alongside multi-major winners Karrie Webb and Laura Davies on the first two days, the European Tour rookie eagled her opening hole in a 68, before carding 66 to sit fifth going into the final round.

Although the teenager dropped out of contention after the turn on the last day, she finished in style when she drove the par four 17th hole and then sank the eagle putt from 10 feet.

Hull is competing in the Ladies British Open on the Old Course at St. Andrews from today (Thursday) until Sunday, when the European 12-player team will be announced for the Solheim Cup later this month.

South of England

Northamptonshire’s Ryan Evans just missed out on retaining his South of England title as he had to settle for a share of the runners-up prize at Walton Heath GC.

The defending champion carded rounds of 71, 73, 73 and 72 to finish level with Alasdair Dalgliesh, but three behind Italy’s Riccardo Michelini.

Junior Inter-Club Short Course Championship

Young golfers around the county are being encouraged to form teams of four to play in the Northamptonshire Junior Inter-Club Short Course Championship at Brampton Heath GC on Monday, September 2.

With the 18-hole event open to both boys and girls under the age of 18 at the start of this year, individual clubs are allowed to enter more than one team if necessary.

At an entry fee of £20 per team, which includes burger and chips after the round, anyone interested in competing is advised to call the Pro Shop on 01604 843939 or email golfshop@bhgc.co.uk.

British Par Three Championships

Cold Ashby pro John Chamberlain has booked his place in the Farmfoods British Par 3 Championships at Nailcote Hall GC on August 6-9 after finishing second in the qualifying event.

Chamberlain, who carded a three-under-par round, will now go up against European Tour stars Graeme Storm, Oliver Fisher and Robert Rock, plus legends Tony Jacklin, Ian Woosnam and Sam Torrance.

So, after an angry helicopter took out one or two distinguished toupees and knocked a few pensioners of their walking sticks at the Help for Heroes charity night at Wantage Road last week, attention turned to a critical month of cricket in August for the boys.

At the end of last season, the Chief Exec David Smith said we needed to improve our white ball cricket and he wasn’t wrong, just two victories in total in 2012, one of those against Scotland.

With 12 one-day wins in the bag already by July, Smith has every right to tip his hat with his thumbs in his pocket and whistle his favorite tune for achieving what he has as he proudly laps the ground, a thumping six wicket win at Cardiff last Friday night securing a brilliant home Twenty20 quarter-final.

He may not enjoy the occasional sedition from this column, but it’s mostly praise from me now for his rolled-up sleeves attitude to make things work for Northants.

With the find of the season Muhammad Azharullah set to sign a new two year deal, the fresh faces have transformed the Twenty20 team’s attitude and Smith made sure we got the right bodies in, the qaurter-final money about to pay for them.

Going into Friday’s game, both Glamorgan and the Steelbacks were unbeaten at home in the competition, and so a win a massive advantage in the pursuit of that home tie in the last eight.

That was pressure Alex Wakely’s boys wanted to have in front of a record 10,000 crowd, and they delivered, with Somerset’s surprise defeat to Worcestershire the day after delivering the big match.

Gmaorgan hit first on what we thought would be a Bunsen Burner, a jaded David Willey no doubt asked to play at the last when David Ripley discovered a green seamer at Cardiff under the lights, the Welsh side clearly wanting to blunt the threat of Cameron White and Richard Levi by setting up their star Aussie seamer Hogan in the process.

Their total of 125 for nine wasn’t great from the home side, tumbling from 70 for one.

Once Cook was out for 50, the seam of Azharullah (4-16) and Willey (3-17) took over again and they got the job done with eight going down for 55 in the failed slog.

Azhar is miles ahead in the best bowler league in Twenty20 this year, and Willey is currently MVP.

The baking sun and the need to bring people back to Twenty20 has seen the pitches improve and so less worn out turners, which is empowering the seamers to get more overs and so batsmen to get truer pitches to score on.

It’s been a great year for the format.

The Steelbacks were tentative in the chase, but once halfway with just two down, White did his finishing thing with 71 not out and it was job done, his IPL experience and calmness under pressure in the chase invaluable this year.

If we bat first, Levi has been the man, and if we bat second Cameron is the man.

The change in the team’s attitude from last year is extraordinary.

This is now a classy confident outfit chasing silverware, that opening Twenty20 win back in June so critical for that state of mind.

The now dead rubber against the Worcester Royals to wrap up the group campaign on Tuesday saw a decent crowd rock up at Wantage Road, Ripley quite rightfully resting a few.

It was good to see Andrew Hall fit again and Olly Stone get a bowl, although I’m unsure about his Phil Neville haircut!

An inevitable 182 was carted around the ground by the Royals with 20 entertaining boundaries and man-of-the-match Mo Ali making 72.

He looked set for a hundred after 14 overs and a record score on the ground as the bowlers went through the motions.

The Royals’ 182 was surprisingly the joint seventh highest score at the ground and so no chance of a chase. The best chase for a tie at the NCG is 180 (Yorkshire) and 163 (Glamorgan) for the win.

It’s a big ground when the pitches are central, and the Steelbacks never really looked like getting them to close on 145 for six, Ali’s five for 34 the second best visiting bowling on the ground for an amazing personal match.

If the intensity isn’t there you won’t win many, and so perhaps it would have been wiser to have rested more in this game.

With Levi out for the quarter-final next week and one or two contracts nearly up, then maybe they could have stuck David Sales in for a slog or tried Luke Evans.

For any other business, watching the IIs last week against a Scotland development side you could see the lads had those contracts on their minds.

It’s that time of the year, and for the likes of Sales, Evans and Con De Lange the end of the plank beckons.

Con has been unlucky with injury. He was one of our better slow bowlers last year and deserves another go.

Sales, on the other hand, was given the benefit of the doubt for another season, but looks like he has gone over the top, content to just occupy the crease.

Another county may pitch up with a decent offer for him, but for me I think he will retire.

Evans, bless him, bowled as many overs he could to impress, matching Trent Copeland’s stamina but not ability - the Scots were 200 for one when he got the hook on the way to a big defeat in a 310 chase.

I think the club’s patience has run out with Lukey and as a trained pilot, a Ryan Air out of Luton beckons.

Topical tips proved their worth for several of our Dalepak Summer Naps League tipsters on Saturday, although punters plunging in the 29-runner Heritage International 7f handicap at Ascot drew a blank.

An incredible 57 selections went in that race – but no-one found the 33/1 scorer Galician for the powerful and in-form Mark Johnston team.

A trip to London for a tour round Lord’s proved the inspiration for Marron Racers whose name theme came up with Lord Of The Dance which obliged at 16/1 to move them 64 places up the table, while the proximity of a nearby nudist beach to their New Forest base persuaded mother and daughter Maggie and Georgia Parr to select 7/2 and 9/2 winners respectively in the form of Flashman and Tropics.

Aye Boy (11 winners) lead Wooldale FC and Yeoman Boys (10 winners) in the Sammy Parker Trophy.

On Saturday, selections can be made at Goodwood, Doncaster, Bath, Musselburgh, Newmarket and Thirsk.

SUMMER NAPS TABLE

*Denotes non runner switched to race favourite

Nipper Time Mystery Bet +43.00

Pipe’s Predators Excellent Guest +40.01

The Viking Henry The Aviator +29.25

The Likely Lads Fehaydi +26.25

Dave’s Doublers Queensberry Rules +25.00

Postman Pat FLASHMAN (7/2) +24.00

Health Matters Queen Catrine +22.50

Old Hamish MUKHADRAM (4/9) +22.22

SPA Fehaydi +22.00

Betony Belle Smarty Socks +21.00

Shonkies Lad Intrigo +16.00

Racegoers Mississippi +15.00

Cobblers Youth Trading Leather +14.63

We Like Guinness Justonefortheroad +14.50

Queen’s Park WMC Baccarat +14.00

Brumbies Garde Cotiere +13.85

Marron Racers LORD OF THE DANCE (16/1) +13.00

Long Buckby Skittles Queensberry Rules +12.88

Cogenhoe Star Prince Of Johanne +11.00

Bristol Arsenal Lightening Cloud +8.96

Earls Barton WMC Krubala +8.75

The Yarmouth Vagabonds SIRIUS PROSPECT (11/2) +8.50

Aye Boy MUKHADRAM (4/9) +7.73

Manor Mayhem Secret Art +7.50

Charlie’s Angels Hawkeyethenoo +7.00

T&J Club Henry The Aviator +7.00

Crown And Anchor Loving Spirit +6.00

Forza Milan Santefisio +5.50

Cripps Social Club Teak +5.00

Go Getters Rockalong +5.00

Moulton Mules Enzaal +5.00

Wooldale FC MUKHADRAM (4/9) +4.31

Overstone Caravaners Royal Prize +4.00

OXO Don’t Call Me +4.00

Red Van Man Hillstar +4.00

Steeleye Ann Es Que Love +4.00

Yeoman Boys MUKHADRAM (4/9) +3.64

B C Magpie Loving Spirit +3.50

White Hart Hackleton Hillstar +3.50

West Haddon FC Ektihaam +3.36

Girls On Top Nemushka +3.00

Juddies Giants Lone Warrior +2.50

Aardvark Racing Summerinthecity +2.00

Cassandra Nameitwhatyoulike +2.00

Mayfield Park Field Of Dream +2.00

Old Sun Heyford Northern Star +2.00

Zulu Warriors Defendant +2.00

West Haddon Bowls Baccarat +2.00

White Horse Silverstone Redvers +2.00

Blue Diamond Loving Spirit +1.63

Alcon MAJOR DOMO (9/2) +1.50

Towcester S&SC Queensberry Rules +1.50

Nene Valley Racing Boots And Spurs +1.25

Diamond Girl Pixie Cut +1.00

NCT Racing Universal +1.00

Tailor’s Dummies Es Que Love +1.00

Ajay Club Queensberry Rules +0.63

St Paul’s Six Furlongers Rasaman +0.50

T&S Racing Fehaydi +0.33

Magster FLASHMAN (7/2) +0.03

CJ’s Pickles Wee Jean 0.00

PWB Racing Wee Jean 0.00

Exiled Geordies Rebellious Guest -0.50

Brinley’s Banker Robot Boy -0.90

Bajan Racing Palace Moon -1.00

Only Shoes And Horses Hawkeyethenoo -1.00

Trafford Bridge Stables Royal Prize -1.00

Weekley Saints HARWOODS VOLANTE (7/4) -1.00

Got Potential Redvers -1.50

Lonesome Dove Universal -1.50

Trinity Old Boys Gold Hunter* -1.75

Crown Wellingborough Wind Fire -2.00

The Boys Universal -2.00

The Wife Can Do Better Santefisio -2.00

Sywell Flyers Ashaadd -2.74

Cock At Roade SUNNY FUTURE (8/11) -3.24

Sons Of The Desert Maxie T -3.25

Abfran Racing Cirrus Des Aigles -3.29

Midland Band Pool TROPICS (9/2) -3.75

Culworth Red Lion Loving Spirit -4.00

Gloster And Fife Club King George River -4.00

Jaycee Club Loving Spirit -4.00

Kingsley Park Airgun Loving Spirit -4.00

Lane’s Longshots Machete Mark -4.00

May Winnit Redvers -4.00

Sons of Black Sam Mississippi -4.00

Maori Racing Al’s Memory -4.00

Duston Con Club Universal -4.50

Roade FC Grandest -4.50

Trueform Aurora Intrigo -4.50

Mr Grumpy Graphic -4.59

NIBS Ghasabah -4.61

Midland Band Darts Mississippi -5.00

Towcester Racecourse Capaill Liath -5.00

Roade Walkers Nemushka -5.05

Margil Social Teak -5.50

Blisworth Garden Services Plover -5.75

The Wolf Whistler Along Again -5.87

Marmalaid Racing Tarikhi -6.00

Rosebery Ramblers Honourable Knight -6.00

Abington LTC Shamaal Nibras -6.50

Chelsea Pensioners Butterfly McQueen -7.00

Barley Hill Punters Trading Leather -7.24

Golfing Gourmets Keep It Cool -7.50

Miracle Workers TROPICS (9/2) -7.50

Plough Inn Everdon Fig Roll -7.50

Selling Platers Secretinthepark -7.50

Dawn’s Boys Kick Boxer -7.75

Brixworth Wanderers Needless Shouting -7.95

Butch Cassidy & S’dance Kid Justonefortheroad -8.00

The Uppers Bertiewhittle -8.50

Tomnjack Universal -8.50

Loco Saints Hawkeyethenoo -8.84

TP Racing Don’t Call Me -9.00

Max Excellent Guest -9.25

Nu Vu Windows Smarty Socks -9.25

Riches’ Floretunes Field Of Dream -9.25

Crown West Haddon The Apache -9.75

Clever Trevor Bertiewhittle -10.50

Whistle Blowers ALCAEUS (6/4) -10.50

Growly Bears Capaill Liath -10.62

Snowy’s Daughter Smarty Socks -10.75

ACKO Field Of Dream -11.09

Photo Finish Baccarat -11.09

Royal Oak Walgrave Hawkeyethenoo -11.17

Delboy’s Trotters Wee Jean -11.56

Admiral Rodney Henry The Aviator -13.00

Barnstaple Nomads Graphic -13.00

Barnstormers Very Nice Name -13.00

Beatnik Beatles The Apache -13.00

Big Mac & The Nuggets Excellent Guest -13.00

Bulltee Boys Yarroom -13.00

Carefree Block XI Ducal -13.00

Dalepak Social Queen Catrine -13.00

Deb’s Delights Dreaming Again -13.00

Evertonians Glen Moss -13.00

Fat Boy Wee Jean -13.00

Fleetwind Flyers Secondo -13.00

Greens Norton Racers Loving Spirit -13.00

Gusto’s Boys Secondo -13.00

Happy Dave Justonefortheroad -13.00

Headlands Golf Don’t Call Me -13.00

JGs TBs Petergate -13.00

K9 Walkers Hillstar -13.00

KAB Karaka Jack -13.00

Lady G Santefisio -13.00

M & N Racing Prince Of Johanne -13.00

Mincerman + Summerinthecity -13.00

Mug Punters Bertiewhittle -13.00

Nag Nappers Hawkeyethenoo -13.00

Not Too Sad Red Cadeaux -13.00

Phoenix Golf Gramercy -13.00

Queen’s Park Snooker Hawkeyethenoo -13.00

Rifle Drum Head Of Steam -13.00

Rosey Poets Boots And Spurs -13.00

Rothwell Cobbler Mahlah -13.00

Spinaclean Es Que Love -13.00

St Mary’s FC Trail Blaze -13.00

Sticky Wicket Don’t Call Me -13.00

The Nap Hand Partnership Shamaal Nibras -13.00

Transco OB Redvers -13.00

Where’s Me Glasses Dreaming Again -13.00

Wright Nag Very Nice Name -13.00

Stuart Lancaster admits he had a ‘long, hard think’ about whether to include Dylan Hartley in his new England EPS squad.

The hooker is one of six Saints players taking their place in the 33-man party, with Alex Corbisiero, Courtney Lawes, Tom Wood, Lee Dickson and Ben Foden also involved.

Hartley is currently serving an 11-week ban for his sending off during May’s Aviva Premiership final defeat to Leicester Tigers.

And Lancaster admits he spoke to the Saints star before naming him in his squad.

“I had a long, hard think about it and a long conversation with him, said the England boss.

“I wanted to be reassured he understands where the line is, what is right and what is wrong.

“He accepts that and he knows he needs a strong start to the season with Northampton as changes can be made with Rob Webber and David Paice pushing hard.”

Meanwhile, there were also three Saints players named in the England Saxons squad, with Calum Clark, Luther Burrell and Stephen Myler included.

“This is a massive game for us and we’ve got to make sure we’re up for it.”

That’s the view of Northamptonshire head coach David Ripley ahead of the LV= County Championship clash with Gloucestershire at the County Ground which starts tomorrow (Friday).

Two defeats in their past two outings, both to Lancashire, have knocked the County off top spot in the second tier but they still lie just eight points behind Glen Chapple’s side and 18 ahead of Essex in third.

That represents a decent position with six games remaining in the campaign and Ripley wants to maintain such a position going into the last few hectic weeks of the run-in.

He said: “This is a stand alone game inbetween all the one-day stuff and it’s massive for us.

“We’ve got five in six weeks coming up and we want to be in as good a position as we can be heading into those.

“Points in the bank count for a lot and they mean that other sides have to gamble to get results.

“But there are some good sides in the division, some of whom we’ve got to play, and our focus has to be as it has been throughout the season.”

Captain Stephen Peters, with a handful of Second XI appearances behind him having recovered from his broken finger, is expected to take his normal place at the top of the order with Matthew Spriegel likely to miss out.

Cameron White will make a second Championship appearance due to the club’s continued involvement in the Twenty20 and Andrew Hall, following an outing against Worcestershire on Tuesday night, will feature.

The same goes for the seam bowling pair of David Willey and Muhammad Azharullah who were given a rest in midweek.

A decision will have to be taken on David Sales’ involvement after his absence from the Twenty20.

The veteran batsman hit a big century for the seconds in midweek but has failed to make a half-century in the entire four-day campaign.

With James Middlebrook in the runs during the last game and Alex Wakely fit to return, a reshuffle of the top order could be on the cards.

Northants from: Peters, Coetzer, Sales, Wakely, Middlebrook, White, Hall, Murphy, Willey, Crook, Azharullah, Daggett, Stone.

Cobblers striker Clive Platt has revealed he is ‘still having issues’ with his troublesome calf injury, and that it is going to be at least two weeks before he is ready for first team action.

The big front man says he tore his calf muscle ‘three or four times’ at the back end of last season, as he tried desperately to get himself fit to play a part in Town’s bid to win promotion from league two.

The former Coventry City and MK Dons man did get himself in good enough shape to lead the Cobblers line in the 3-0 play-off final defeat to Bradford City at Wembley, but he is still paying the price for that effort.

“I got an injury at the wrong time last season,” said Platt.

“I would have liked to have played more of a part in the back end of the season, and would have liked to have been fit.

“But because of the way the squad was at the time, and the part of the season it was, I was constantly trying to rush back to get involved.

“We did everything on the shortest possible basis, and I ended up tearing my calf muscle about three or four times.

“I am still having issues with it now, but hopefully we can get it sorted out in the next week or so.”

Platt visited a specialist in London this week, and has undergone a series of injections to try and rectify the problem once and for all.

“We played it slowly throughout the summer, and I have done a lot of work on it, but I have come back and it is still a bit of an issue,” admitted Platt.

“I have spoken to the specialist now, and basically because I tore the muscle so much and so often last season, there is just a build-up of scar tissue.

“I’ll now go through a procedure that will remove that, and then hopefully I will be back to full fitness in a couple of weeks.

“I am in a position now where it might just takes a couple of weeks extra to get my calf right, and then I just want to play as many games as I can for the team.”

Along with Kelvin Langmead (knee), Chris Hackett (Achilles) and Alex Nicholls (broken leg), Platt is sidelined for the Cobblers’ first game of the season at York City on Saturday.

He is hoping Aidy Boothroyd’s men can get the campaign off to a flyer, but had a reassuring word for the supporters if things don’t go to plan at Bootham Crescent.

“In an ideal world you want to have a great start to the season, but in the past teams have got to Christmas, not even been in the top half, and still got promoted,” said Platt.

“So it does matter to get off to a decent start, but it’s not the be all and end all.

“I am sure if we come together as a team, and I am sure there will be more new additions to the squad, there is more than enough quality and depth here to make sure we can get promoted.”

Two men have been convicted of a fuel theft, after they drove off from a forecourt on the A43 near Brackley without paying.

Noel Majores, aged 24, of Wayneflete Close, and Richard Stuart, aged 29, of Manor Road, both from Brackley, were sentenced at Northampton Magistrates’ Court.

Majores was found guilty of the offence and sentenced to 12 weeks’ imprisonment.

Stuart was also found guilty and received a six-month community order with a drug rehabilitation requirement. He was also fined and ordered to pay costs.

The “drive-off” occurred at the BP service station on the A43 near Brackley on Tuesday, July 9.

The most acute of lines between promotion and a drop to the level below at the LTA Summer County Cup was once again brought home to the Northamptonshire men’s tennis squad at Oxford last week.

Non-playing skipper Mark Taylor has been in the business long enough to know the potential pitfalls of five days of intensive group tennis in the searing heat so perhaps the relegation suffered once again – back to Group Seven next year – was not a total revelation.

Yet the final analysis is cruel, and doesn’t do justice to the preparation work and effort put in on court.

Top this with the fact Northants actually defeated Northumberland on the Tuesday and Staffordshire on the Friday, both by 6-3 margins, with Taylor’s haunting words: “It is very rare to be relegated when you win on two days.

Then also combine the fact the 5-4 loss to Devon on the Wednesday was one of those which, taken to the other extreme, could not only have been a victory but a comfortable one as well.

Taylor explained: “All three of our pairs that day had matches we could easily have won. Jack (Haworth) and Ben (Foster) had a set point in a tie-break and lost and were then 4-1 up in the second and lost.

“Alex (Halsey) and Nikki (Rae) were 6-4, 2-0 up and lost a match while Charlie (Swallow) and Jonny (Searle) served for a match in the third set and lost two third set tie-breaks.

“Overall, we should never have gone down.

“If we had beaten Devon and, say, just picked up one rubber on Thursday against Buckinghamshire who walloped everybody and beat us 9-0, we could have gone up.”

Northants’ fate was sealed by Northumberland’s final day 5-4 victory against Oxfordshire, a result which should never have happened on the form of the previous four days, as the host county were still on course for promotion behind Bucks.

At least there were bright spots.

Rae brought the benefits of a first academic year in America back home to his native county by bringing a positive note to proceedings 
and won seven matches during the week, mostly with Halsey, although he picked up two on the final day with Foster when pairs were shuffled around.

It was a tally matched by Swallow, mostly in tandem with Searle, although he 
had a first-day final round 
win with Kevin Hoey.

Taylor concluded: “We had a cracking team out but we always knew it was going to be tough.”

While Rae will return 
for his second academic yearat the University of Iowa at the end of August, Halsey now works at the Virgin Active Club at Hamilton, near Glasgow.

The Cobblers have strengthened their squad with the signing of former Leeds United and Colchester defender Matt Heath on non-contract terms.

The experienced Heath has played almost 300 senior games and arrives at Sixfields having played as a trialist in the pre-season game with Leicester in midweek.

“Matty is going to help us out and he’s very kindly agreed to join us on a non-contract basis,” said boss Aidy Boothroyd.

“He adds to our squad and he gives us a little bit more cover at centre-back.

“He has experience, he has height and power and he is a good organiser.

“I have worked with Matt before when I was at Colchester and I know what he will bring.

“He is a good professional, he will do a good job for us and I am pleased to welcome him in.”

Heaths is 32, and as well as playing for Leeds and Colchester, he has also represented Leicester City, Stockport County, Coventry City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Southend United.

He has made 260 league and cup starts, as well as 27 substitute appearances, scoring 18 goals.

Heath only played seven games for Colchester last season, and hasn’t played a competitive match since New Year’s Day when he was part of a Us side beaten 3-0 at Crawley Town.

He was also in the Colchester side that was beaten 2-1 by the Cobblers in last season’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy at Sixfields.

Cobblers boss Aidy Boothroyd admits he is happy to take a ‘gamble’ on former Hull City trainee Danny Emerton.

The 21-year-old today put pen to paper on a one-year deal at Sixfields, having impressed during a trial spell.

Emerton came through the youth ranks with the Tigers, but didn’t make a first team appearance, although he did enjoy a brief loan spell with non-League outfit Alfreton last season.

“Danny has had a very successful trial and I’ve been very impressed with him,” said Cobblers boss Boothroyd.

“Sometimes when you get a player of Danny’s age who is relatively untried it can be a bit of a gamble but I’ve got a lot of faith in him.

“I think he’s got a lot of ability and he just needs a place where he can show what he is all about.”

Emerton was also on trial at Carlisle United earlier in the summer, but he has settled at the Cobblers, and is now just keen to get out on a football pitch and show what he can do.

“I’m desperate to play,” said Emerton.

“I’ve been three years as a professional and playing reserve team football for three years.

“Since the start of last season I wasn’t even contemplating trying to get into the (Hull) team, I was just looking to get out on loan.

“That didn’t work out so I just need the break now.”

The winger now has his break, and could find himself in the Cobblers squad for their opening Sky Bet League Two match of the season at York City on Saturday.

Aidy Boothroyd has revealed centre-back David Artell is keen to leave the Cobblers this summer.

Artell was an unused substitute in Town’s final two pre-season games, Saturday’s win over a Stoke City development squad and Tuesday’s success against Leicester City.

With captain Kelvin Langmead injured, Ben Tozer and Lee Collins look likely to occupy the central defensive berths in the Sky Bet League Two curtain-raiser at York City on Saturday (ko 3pm).

And though Boothroyd says Artell remains part of his thinking for that game, he admits the former Crewe captain is eager to exit Cobblers.

“Dave is wanting to get back up north,” said Boothroyd.

“He came last year, he’s been unfortunate with injuries, he’s got himself fit and we’ve got to a stage now where it would suit both parties if Dave went back and played up north, for family reasons.

“But he’s a terrific professional and at this stage he’s on the bench and ready, so if he’s called upon he’ll be there.

“I’ve not had a minute’s problem with him, he’s a good professional. He’ll come into the team, but at this stage I just think we might need to be looking elsewhere.

“Having said that, I’m not one that’s rigid in his thinking. I might wake up Thursday morning and think ‘let’s give him a go, let’s play him’.

“(York striker Richard) Cresswell is going to be a different animal compared to a (Jeffrey) Schlupp or a (Chris) Wood, who we faced on Tuesday. It’s a different league and it’s a different requirement to defend properly.”

Boothroyd today paved the way for Artell to move north with the non-contract signing of former Leeds and Colchester defender Matt Heath, but he has also confirmed he will not be trying to sign Michael Spillane, who played for Town as a trialist in Tuesday’s friendly win over Leicester City.

“I won’t be taking Michael Spillane,” said the Cobblers boss.

“I think he’s an excellent player but quite similar to Ben Tozer.

“If I didn’t have a Ben Tozer I’d snap him up without question and I’m just amazed that a player of his ability hasn’t got a club yet.”

A former Northampton restaurant which has stood empty for several years could soon re-open as a Hawaiian theme-bar.

The former La Tasca restaurant in The Drapery is currently vacant.

But plans have been submitted to Northampton Borough Council to convert the building into a Kukui Bar - named after the state tree of Hawaii.

Documents submitted to the council reveal the redeveloped venue would have a ‘tropical feel’ with bamboo features, thatched booths, a dance floor and a ‘feature fish tank’.

The papers said: “Kukui is a quality operation, not based on volume sales, which seeks to offer escapism with a tropical twist.

“Music is a secondary feature, however it remains an important part in the Kukui cocktail.”

The development of the bar would create about 12 new jobs. The venue would open until 3am, seven days a week.

The council’s planning department is due to make a final decision on whether or not the plans should be allowed later this month.

Before the venue operated as La Tasca, it was known as Bar Me, a fun-pub which hit the headlines in 2003 when councillors heard that drinking games had been played at the venue which resulted in drinkers stripping off and running along The Drapery.

Boss Aidy Boothroyd has revealed that he and the Cobblers squad have quite literally burned and buried the nightmare of May’s play-off final defeat to Bradford City at Wembley.

On the eve of the new Sky Bet League Two campaign starting at York City, Boothroyd says the Town squad are only looking forward - but they will use the pain of the 3-0 defeat to the Bantams at Wembley will drive them on this season.

“On the first day of pre-season I got everybody back in and I asked everybody to bring something in from the play-off final,” said Boothroyd.

“Boots came in, pictures, programmes, old kit and we had a big bonfire and set fire to it all.

“We then dug a hole and buried everything.

“I did that because I wanted everyone to realise that it is a new start, what happened last season is history and we want to make new history and we want to try and go one better this season.

“We’ve got a good squad, we’re not afraid about wanting to be at the top and we are all going to work hard to see if we can achieve it.”

Cobblers manager Aidy Boothroyd admits he is ‘thoroughly excited’ ahead of his second full season in charge at Sixfields.

Town kick off their Sky Bet League Two campaign at York City on Saturday, and Boothroyd can’t wait to get started.

The Cobblers boss has rebuilt his squad over the summer, showing the door to key squad men from last season such as Adebayo Akinfenwa, Luke Guttridge, John Johnson and Ben Harding, and bringing in a crop of new talent.

Darren Carter, Ian Morris, Gary Deegan, Danny Emerton, Kevin Amankwaah and possibly others are all set to make their debuts for the club at Bootham Crescent, and Boothroyd admitted: “I’m ready and I’m thoroughly excited about the season ahead.

“It’s come round very quickly as it always does but I’m excited about the games coming around again.

“I think we’ve got a good squad together and we want to make sure that we do well in the league this year as well as hopefully having a cup run or two as well.”

Town have enjoyed a good pre-season campaign, losing just once to Peterborough United.

They enjoyed easy wins over UCL sides Sileby Rangers and Cogenhoe United, saw off Corby Town, and then beat a Stoke City Development team and Leicester City at Sixfields.

And that 2-1 victory over a near full-strength Foxes on Tuesday night has particularly whetted the Town manager’s appetite.

“The performance against Leicester was as good a performance from a Northampton team certainly in my time,” said Boothroyd.

“The game could have gone either way but we played some excellent football and that is something we are able to do now.”

Forward Clive Platt believes the Cobblers’ promotion bid this season will be boosted by the fact they are going to be able to mix up their playing style.

Aidy Boothroyd’s men were branded a long-ball team last season, and they were marked up by oppositon managers as a set-piece side.

And although that tag wasn’t always justified, there were occasions when Town did play it too direct.

Platt believes that is not going to be the case this season, and the evidence of the Cobblers’ pre-season campaign backs that up.

New midfield signings Darren Carter, Gary Deegan and Ian Morris are all happiest with the ball on the deck and at their feet, as is striker Roy O’Donovan, and the brand of football ahead of the big kick off has been pleasing on the eye.

Platt feels the team will play more football this season, but he also says it is important to be direct when that approach is needed.

“The best teams have a mix of styles,” said Platt, who will miss the first couple of weeks of the season with a calf problem.

“There is no way you can play pure soccer in any division, even in the Premier League, and win the title. Manchester United didn’t do that last season, they mixed it up.

“And it’s the same with playing direct, there’s no way you can do that all year and guarantee promotion.

“So having a mix of styles is the best thing, and we do seem to have a mix here.

“We do have more ball players than we did, and if we can have a good mix, and play the right way at the right time against the right teams, then hopefully we will get more results.”

Platt has also been impressed with Boothroyd’s recruitment over the summer, and is confident ahead of the new campaign, which starts on Saturday at York City (ko 3pm).

“We have a few injuries at the moment, and we are a few players light in numbers, but from what I have seen I think we are stronger,” he said.

“The gaffer has added quality and hopefully we can get an identity as a team together.

“The players that were already here have made the new lads welcome, and I believe we will be stronger, especially if we can get a few new additions and get the injured players back.”

The Cobblers have a score to settle when they travel to York City on Saturday.

It was April 13 at Sixfields, and Town welcomed the struggling Minstermen to Sixfields, knowing if they won their remaining four league games then they would be promoted automatically.

Hopes were high, but the Cobblers went on to produce one of their worst perfomances of the season and were deservedly beaten 2-0 by a side that had been galvanised by new boss Nigel Worthington.

The wheels had come off the promotion bandwagon on a painful afternoon, and Boothroyd remembers it well.

“I’ve got a lot of time for Nigel, I know him really well and I will always be grateful to him for giving me the opportunity to be a youth team coach at Norwich,” said the Cobblers boss.

“But York turned us over here at the end of last season so I certainly owe him one, and I’m really looking forward to going up there.”

York totally outplayed a nervy Cobblers at Sixfields that day, but Boothroyd is expecting them to be a different proposition this weekend.

“We’ve seen York a couple of times in pre-season and they will be a different team under Nigel to what they were under Gary Mills,” said the Town manager.

“They will be a lot more solid and a lot more forward thinking in the way that they play and they will be bigger physically.”

Kick-off at Bootham Crescent is at 3pm, and you can keep up to date with what is happening by following @chronsport and @JeffersonLake on Twitter.

The NHS has pledged not to cut £1.5 million from Cynthia Spencer Hospice’s funding until charitable fund-raising can replace it.

NHS Nene made the commitment this morning, after announcing at a press briefing on Wednesday that it was scaling back its funding for the service, along with Cransley Hospice in Kettering.

NHS Nene proposes to structure Cynthia Spencer’s funding more like that of the majority of hospices, with 70 per cent raised through charitable means and 30 per cent given by the NHS. The threat to the hospice’s funding was first reported by the Chron last week.

The news comes as one of the key fund-raisers at Cynthia Spencer Hospice says she is confident the public’s support will help it raise the extra £1.5 million a year it will need to pay its staff.

Sue Bownass, community fund-raiser for Cynthia Spencer Hospice, said: “The fund-raising department is growing, and we know we have a big target ahead of us - but with the support of local people, we will get there.

“When we did the new build at the hospice, £1.5 million was raised purely and simply by the support of local businesses and local people.

“We feel confident the public will get behind us. We are ready for it, and we will do it.

“We are very keen to get supporters’ groups up-and-running, because it will enable us to have ambassadors all over the county setting up individual fund-raising hubs.”

This morning’s announcement follows a meeting yesterday between NHS Nene, the Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, the trustees of Cynthia Spencer and Cransley hospices, county councillors and activists behind a Facebook campaign.

Dr Darin Seiger, chair of NHS Nene CCG, told the meeting the plan was never to reduce hospice provision in Northamptonshire, which was confirmed in writing to the campaigners after the meeting.

An NHS Nene spokesman said: “We will continue discussions regarding the future strategy for hospice provision. This will include examining the potential to increase the charitable income generated by the hospices, particularly where this is linked to new initiatives.

“There will be no reduction in NHS funding for the hospices until such time as alternative sources of charitable funding are secured.”

A teenager was treated in hospital for an injured ankle after being knocked off a moped in an apparent ‘hit and run’ in Daventry.

The crash happened on Sunday, at about 10am, on the roundabout near the Icon building on Eastern Way, when a moped and small dark car collided.

A police spokesman said: “As a result, the 16-year-old rider of the moped received cuts and an ankle injury which required hospital treatment.

“The car driver failed to stop and continued driving along South Way towards the town centre.”

Saints will have a sevens specialist in their ranks when they take to the field at Franklin’s Gardens on Friday night.

Wing Vasily Artemyev has spent the summer playing the shortened form of the game, starring in Russia’s World Cup campaign in his home city, Moscow.

The Bears didn’t have the best of starts, dropping out of the main competition in the pool stages, but they rebuilt to claim three wins on the final day and secure the Bowl.

Now Artemyev will be hoping for more sevens success at his club, who take on Leicester, Sale and Newcastle on home turf.

And the 26-year-old knows exactly what will be needed if he and his team-mates are to book their place in finals day at Bath’s Recreation Ground next Friday (August 9).

“It’s not enough just to look at the paper and see what players we’ve got, but obviously we won’t have a lack of motivation playing in front of our home crowd,” said Artemyev.

“It is going to be demanding. Sevens is a very demanding game and you can feel very tired and down during those games. It’s up to you to push yourself through and your team-mates to cheer you up to keep going.

“It’s very important to stay in those games until the very end. Sevens is a very short game and anything can happen in seconds really.

“You have to keep going and when you’re catching up with a team anything can happen. There have been plenty of games at the top level that have showed that.”

Artemyev’s experience is combined with plenty of youthful exuberance in Saints’ 12-man squad for the JP Morgan tournament.

England Under 20s players Alex Day, Will Hooley, Tom Stephenson and Tom Collins are also in the mix, as are young Moseley duo Buster Lawrence and Olly Robinson.

And Artemyev says he will do his best to guide the prodigious talents through as they aim to leave a lasting impression on the Saints management team ahead of the new Premiership season.

“Rugby sevens has always been considered a good stepping stone for young guys to prepare for the demands of the 15s game,” he said.

“For a lot of national teams in the World Series events they’re putting their young players through and you see a lot of them ending up in the main teams or in top clubs in their countries.

“It’s the same here (at Saints). We’ve got a vast amount of young talent here, who can face the intensity of these games and this massive pitch at the Gardens.

“I’m sure there will be a lot of running and tired faces, too, so it’s good for them to play at this level and to face some very good players.

“I will do my best to share some experiences that I’ve already had an hopefully we can connect well as a team.”

Saints squad: Artemyev, Collins, A Day, Glynn, Hooley, Olver, Stephenson; Diggin, Betts, Harry, Lawrence, Robinson

Pool B fixtures: Falcons v Saints (7.15pm), Tigers v Sharks (7.40pm), Tigers v Falcons (8.10pm), Saints v Sharks (8.35pm), Falcons v Sharks (9.05pm), Tigers v Saints (9.30pm)