REIGNING national boys' champion Ben Amor (Marlborough, Wiltshire) starred as England’s young men won the annual Costa Ballena Quadrangular tournament in Spain for the first time since 2006.

Despite losing their third and final match to the Spanish, England finished half a point ahead of their hosts on games countback, having been pipped by them by the same margin in 2013.

After victories over Finland and Germany on the opening two days, England were in pole position going into their clash with Spain.

But they were beaten 5.5-3.5 which meant England, Finland and Spain finished on four points apiece, so the number of game points were totted up which saw England on 16.5 to Spain’s 16 and Finland on 14.5.

It was England’s 7-2 victory over Germany and their 6-3 success against Finland that proved crucial.

Amor contributed four wins although England’s most successful player was Staffordshire’s Robert Burlison.

Scores: England 7 Germany 2; Finland 5 Spain 4; England 6 Finland 3; Spain 6.5 Germany 2.5; England 3.5 Spain 5.5; Finland 6.5 Germany 2.5.