IT was a case of third time lucky for Dunwood Manor juniors yesterday as they lifted the Sunday Telegraph Junior Team Championship at La Manga in Spain by a massive 42 shots.

After two losses in the last three years the team of Matt Thomas (4 handicap), Lee Payne (5), Jordan Stelmach (2), Tom Brown (6), Ben Hogbin (8) and Sam Cope (4) finally triumphed over Shaw Hill from Lancashire at the Spanish venue.

And club secretary Roger Basford, full of praise for the team and junior club organiser Ken Wilson, said: "This is a major achievement for the juniors and indeed the club. The team have worked so hard under Ken and have shown a marvellous team spirit throughout.

"It really is a case of third time lucky after two second places," he added.

The best gross score and the next best four nett scores counted in the six-man competition, and Dunwood took an unassailable 23-shot lead into the final round of the 36-hole competition.

Matt Thomas inspired the team and led the way with a gross 77 yesterday and was followed by Lee Payne 78-5=73, Jordan Stelmach 79-2=77, Tom Brown 79-6=73 and Ben Hogbin 86-8=78.

Dunwood, near Romsey, won through a six-team Southern Final to make it to La Manga. Another Hampshire club Meon Valley were in that final, finishing third.

And the win couldn't have come too soon for four members of the team - next year they will be too old to compete in what has become the biggest team event in Europe.