NICK Dougherty is on course to follow in the footsteps of his mentor Nick Faldo after coasting into the third round of the English Amateur Championships.

A young Faldo won this famous tournament 25 years ago at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

And, now the event is back at Lytham for the first time since then, Dougherty is the man setting the fairways alight again on the famous old course.

The 18-year-old Shaw Hill ace looked every inch the part yesterday as he confidently dispatched Dudsbury's Tom Peacock 4 and 3 in the second round.

The former QEGS student was virtually uncatchable by the 11th after opening up a five-shot lead, thanks to a birdie on the sixth and an eagle on the seventh.

But if he wants to emulate his friend and hero, Faldo, then there is plenty of work to be done before the prize-giving on Saturday night.

Nearly all of the top 16 seeds have survived the opening two rounds.

And he was set to face Royal Birkdale's Matthew Cox today -- who beat Nelson's John Cockroft by one hole yesterday.

Dougherty's Lancashire colleague Tony Jackson is also through to the third round after beating Bristol and Clifton's David Powell 3 and 1.

The Blackburn member was due to meet Kidderminster's Nathan Bennett today.

But there was no place for Burnley's Mike Hunt following his second round elimination at the hands of Hampshire's Darren Henley.

He lost narrowly 2 and 1s