It'll only be one slice of turkey this Christmas for Dale Boxing Club youngster Connor Maclaren.

The 16-year-old, who was runner up in the National Junior Novices Championship on Friday, will forego the trimmings of the coming festive season to shed a few pounds in readiness for a tilt at the National Association of Boy's Clubs title in February.

Already something of a beanpole, Maclaren fought in the 66-70kg class at the Hutton Leisure Centre in Brentwood.

However, Maclaren reckons a drop of at least one weight division will give him his best chance of going one better next time.

"I will try and get down a weight or two to around 63 kilos for the next championship," he said.

"I'm not an inside fighter. I like to box at long-range and deliver straight punches.

"At 63kg, I'll be that much taller than most of my opponents, and will be able to make better use of my reach advantage."

Maclaren felt he'd been hard done by in his bid to be Junior Novices Champion.

Facing the highly-rated Haider Riaz from the North Sharples Police Boxing Club, Maclaren trailed by two points going into the final round.

A massive final effort saw the Ladbroke Grove boxer take the lead briefly in the last three minutes, but the final score was 10-7 to the northern raider.

Maclaren questioned the scoring of the last round, claiming he'd done more than enough to take the title.

He said: "When I got there, the coaches were saying Riaz was one of the best boys from up north, but I've watched the video back and thought I edged the fight.

"Everyone thought I'd beaten him up in the last round, and on the video the big and clean shots all came from me.

"You get some funny decisions in amateur boxing sometimes, but you just have to accept it."

Elsewhere on Friday night, it was a story of non-stop success for the Dale.

In his first-ever fight, 14-year-old Andrew Smith scooped the boxer of the night award at the inaugural Mayor's Cup Boxing competition, hosted by the All Stars Club at the Porchester Hall.

With Boris Johnson ringside, Smith comfortably outpointed his south-London opponent on the bill, arranged to show boxing as an alternative activity for troubled youngsters who might be tempted into crime.

"It was a brilliant effort by Andrew to shine out like that in his first ever fight, and it shows the depth of talent at the club," said Dale coach Steve Newlands.

MEANWHILE, three more Dale fighters were chalking up wins on a bill in Woking.

Alfie Disson stopped opponent G. Ewing in the third round in what was only his second fight, while Daniel Dubois defeated Woking's Ben Bendle by unanimous decision, avenging a defeat to the same opponent only a month ago.

And in the senior ranks, Joe Daley had a convincing points win over home boxer Joe Smith.