DROITWICH Amateur Boxing Club's stars are beginning to feel like always being the bridesmaid, never the bride.

The club is going through one of their longest losing sequences since its formation 23 years ago.

They have been exceptionally busy but have now lost 12 bouts on the trot, albeit six of them by split decisions.

The run started at Shrewsbury on October 31 when Danny Jones (11), having his first bout, lost a close decision to Burton's Luke Harrison, but he gave a skilful and gutsy performance against a heavier opponent.

On November 6 at Stratford, Dean Conn (13) started slowly against Hinckley's Dave Rodgers, but turned on the pressure in the second and third rounds of an exciting, close contest. The majority verdict of the judges went against him.

On November 9 at Ellesmere Port, John Bray (13) gave an exceptional display against local star and England schoolboy international Darren Clark (Vauxhall Motors). Bray was adjudged the loser on all three cards, but many distinguished onlookers saw it differently and thought the decision a home town one.

On the same bill John Hodgkins (15) left it late against James Oliver (Willaston). After two close rounds John opened up in the third to end well on top, but again the judges were split, John losing on a majority verdict.

On November 10, Terry Jones (16) and Dan Bradley (15) boxed in the national quarter-finals of the National Association of Clubs for Young People Championships, against Ulster, at Walsall, whilst other club members were in Manchester representing West Mercia Schoolboys against East Lancs and Cheshire.

Dan Bradley's bout against William Mitchell (Shamrock) could not have been closer. Following an even first round he lost the second but put in a grandstand finish to take the third. But seemingly inevitably the split decision went against the Spa boxer.

Terry Jones started like a rocket against Paul Moffatt (Abbey), but fell away towards the end and was retired by his corner once it became clear he had no answer to Moffatt's strong offensives.

Meanwhile, in Manchester, 13-year-olds Dean Conn and Marc Bonehill looked on in disbelief as split decisions against them were announced after apparently winning hard bouts against Scott Alker-Hall (Chorley) and James Valentine (Bury) respectively. Even the opposing team manager expressed his regret at what seemed like biased verdicts, but both boys took their disappointments sportingly.

Will Jones (15) seemed to be storming to a determined win over Ashley Howard (Pool of Life) when he was caught by a body shot and winded. Sensibly the referee stopped the contest after a standing count as Will had not recovered sufficiently.

Marc Dixon (17), having his first bout for the Droitwich club after a transfer, gave a superb display in dropping a points decision to national junior finalist Lee Graves (Chorley). Pressure-fighter Graves kept surging forward banging in shots to the body, but Dixon caught him with good long shots with both hands in a cracking top-of-the-bill bout to conclude the tournament.

On November 11 at Oxford, Glen Hodgkins (12) started well against Tom Tear (Marlow), fell away in the second round but rallied in the third only to find himself the victim of yet another split decision. On the same bill Dan Jones (11) never really got into it, losing on points to Marlow's Steve Shaw.