Early lead for Gallagher

Golf

Sarah Gallagher took a two-stroke lead into the second round of the 72-hole English Ladies Amateur Strokeplay Championship at Little Aston.

The 24-year-old from Trentham Park returned the best-ever round by a woman at the course near Sutton Coldfield with six birdies and an eagle in her five-under-par 69. Hampshire's Kate Egford, one of only three other players to break par, was second on 71, one shot ahead of Yorkshire's 17-year-old English girls' champion, Rebecca Hudson.

Gallagher missed the whole of last year after an operation to replace a cruciate knee ligament. But, since winning the Staffordshire title at the start of the season, she has reached the semi-finals of the English ladies, finished third in the Scottish ladies and won the Midlands Championship. She makes her England debut in next month's European Cup in Denmark.