NICK Dougherty's hopes of matching mentor Nick Faldo were still alive today after the Shaw Hill ace moved ominously into the fourth round of the English Amateur Championships.

And he was joined in the last 32 by Blackburn's Tony Jackson who enjoyed a 4 and 2 win over Nathan Bennett.

Eighteen-year-old England cap Dougherty faced a testing match against Royal Birkdale's Matthew Cox in the third round.

And after admitting to an indifferent front nine Dougherty had his work cut out.

But the former QEGS pupil put his game together over the inward half at Royal Lytham & St Annes to clinch a 2 and 1 victory and set up a tie with Scott Dobbins of Sandy Lodge.

Jackson enjoyed a more convincing win as the Blackburn member toppled Kiddersminster's Bennett to keep the East Lancashire interest alive on two fronts.

However, he faced a tough task today against seeded player John Morgan from Somerset.

And all eyes may again be on Dougherty.

With Faldo currently at the centre of a bitter war with Mark James, he will welcome the news that his young protege Dougherty is on course to follow in his footsteps.

For it was Faldo who won these famous championships when they were last staged at the Lancashire course 25 years ago.

Now, a quarter of a century on, his star pupil is the man setting the fairways on fire.

Meanwhile, James Holmes caused the shock of the day when he put out Walker Cup player Philip Rowe.

Holmes - a barman at the Crewe club - pulled off a deserved three and one victory in the third round thanks to good advice from friend Jamie Donaldson. "He just told me to forget about who I am playing and just take each shot as it comes," said Holmes.