Harriers make good start to the season

IT was a dry but very windy day on Saturday for the first Red Rose fixture at Leigh, where the Harriers made a good start to the cross country season with team and individual wins.

Daniel Cunningham in 14th place was the first of the Rossendale lads in the 89 strong U11s race but in the Girls race a fine run by Lily Edmondson in seventh spot led her team of Elsie Haygarth and Daisy Halewood to fourth place and not too far behind Chorley and Leigh, although Trawden look to be favourites for the title.

Several youngsters were making their debuts for the club and there were some promising performances on the day, notably Rhys Dunn who placed sixth in the U13 Boys race and not too far behind the leaders. In the same race Joe Ormrod stamped his authority on the field to take the win as he did last year at the same venue and Billy Smith, in 28th place, completed the team who finished in fourth position.

Evie Taylor ran a strong race for the U13 Girls and was rewarded with a fine third place. Jessica Greenhalgh crossed the line 12 places later but unfortunately without a third counter they were an incomplete team. Horwich Harriers were the easy winners in the Under 15 Boys race, with Rossendale fourth, but the next four teams were only separated by a mere four points so there will all to play for in the next three fixtures. Joe Hopley ran well for sixth and Jack Smith and Will Curry in 19th and 21st places completed the team. The Under 15 Girls went one better with a third team placing thanks to Isobel Cunningham in ninth, Nell Edmondson, 15th and Holly Pegg 18th.

It’s very pleasing to see the depth of talent in the U17 Mens squad and that was perfectly underlined at Leigh as the lads took the first three positions in the race with Matty Mackay an easy winner after 17mins 56secs for the 5K course. Joel Taylor crossed the line just over 30 seconds later and Ben Forrest, back from injury, seven seconds later in 18mins 34secs. With Max Cunningham back for the Bolton fixture it’s hard to see anyone challenging Rossendale for the title.

It might be a little closer for the U17 ladies but they also ran out as winners after a dominant performance from the talented Lauryn Gregg in first place after 21mins 01secs and over 40 seconds clear of second. Minnie Targett in fifth and Lily Haygarth in 11th spot put ●» Rossendale Harriers visited Leigh the team just four points ahead of Leigh Harriers.

The Under 20s and Senior Women ran over the same course and Emily Morgan had a great race to finish as second U20 and ninth overall from a total of 152 runners, an impressive performance. 14th place for Anne Marie Hindle and 28th for Sarah Yeomans in her first race for several years resulted in an unexpected fourth team place and only five points behind Bury AC in third from a total of 17 teams. Pleasingly the vets team of Anne Marie, Heather Dalgleish, and Lynne Berbatiotis were also fourth but even at this early stage it looks like it will be Blackburn’s title to lose.

The Harrier’s vets team of Alan Lunderg-Bury, Ashley Holt, Mark Barrett and Craig Stansfield had a narrow victory over second placed Horwich and third placed Todmorden so it will be interesting to see how that battle for the title plays out over the season but with most Rossendale’s best runners saving themselves for Sunday’s Manchester half marathon the senior team was pushed into third place behind Bury and Blackburn in first position. However Grant Cunliffe ran two races in two days and was the Harrier’s best placed runner in both.

Blackburn’s Tim Raynes had a 26 second cushion over Grant at the finish of the 10k senior race and Matty Harris, after his best ever track season, was next home in a creditable 12th spot, followed by the four vets.

In the Manchester Half Marathon on Sunday Aldershot Farnham & District’s Andy Vernon made light work of the wet conditions as he crossed the line at Old Trafford cricket ground ahead of over 21,000 runners after 63mins 36secs and Cunliffe’s time of 71mins 59secs for 25th place was impressive considering his efforts at Leigh.

Chris Fell, second veteran on the day, was just two places behind in a time of 72mins 34secs.

Steve Duxbury