ELSWICK EARN THE ACCOLADES
NEWCASTLE outfit Elswick Harriers pulled out all the stops to claim a rare but a dramatic double when South Shields Harriers hosted the Sherman Cup and Davison Shield at Temple Park, a venue traditionally used for the popular competition for a number of years.
The West End outfit have only featured once among the leading clubs in the Sherman in the past 10 years – for athletes of all ages – when they finished in second place behind Morpeth Harriers in the season 2021/22 though the female section has been knocking at the door in recent times having been third in 1922, second in 1923 and third last year. Despite not having a team winner over the 11 races it was Elswick’s overall performances throughout the day that brought home both trophies.
SENIOR MEN
THE final event on the programme saw the closest finish of the day as track specialist Matt Linsley crossed the line just one second clear of long-time leader Adrian Bailes (Birtley). Bailes and Birtley team-mate Lewis McConnell ran shoulder-to-shoulder at the completion of the first of three testing circuits with Linsley and fellow Gateshead athlete Lewis Liddle 15 metres or so behind.
On the second lap Bailes extended his advantage as Linsley moved ahead of McConnell, however, it was all to change on the final circuit as Linsley gradually reeled in the blue-vested Bailes and eventually ease to the front with around 150 metres to go and come home to win by six metres with Liddle crossing the line in third place 24 seconds adrift of Bailes.
Sunderland’s Joe Willis was first under-20 to finish crossing the line in ninth place. Gateshead won the team race with nine points with fifth-placed Dan Alexander backing up Lindsey and Liddle, Birtley finished second on 19 points and Durham City third with 47 pipping Sunderland on countback. 282 finishers.
SENIOR WOMEN
WHILE the senior men’s race was a close affair that cannot be said for the senior women’s two-lap contest. Last year’s defending champion, Morpeth’s Catriona MacDonald, set out her stall from the gun and quickly opened up daylight over the rest of the field and by the completion of the first lap was around 100 metres ahead of team-mate Lizzie Rank with Sunderland’s Grace Carroll and Elswick’s Justina Heslop a few metres further adrift.
MacDonald continued to cut out a lone furrow on the final circuit to cross the line nearly a minute clear of Heslop, the former English National under-17 champion, as Rank clamed third place ahead Carroll with Blaydon’s Ellie Fellows the first under-20 home in fifth place.
Morpeth won the team section with nine points as sixth-placed Robyn Bennett
backed up MacDonald and Rank, Sunderland finished second with 31 points and
Blaydon were third with 49 points. 238 finishers.
UNDER-17 MEN
IT WAS a Tynedale one-two as Arthur Di Lullo beat off
team-mate Joe Elstob by 17 seconds with Blaydon’s Jamie Lonergan completing the
podium places a similar distance back in third spot. Sunderland, led home by
sixth-placed William Young, won the team race with 33 points the same as
Morpeth with Elswick third on 49 points. 27 finishers.
UNDER-17 WOMEN
NORTH Shields Poly’s Anna Johnson led throughout to come
home nearly a minute clear of Alnwick’s Emma Hobdon who had an equally huge gap
over third-placed Elise Bell of Gosforth. No teams closed-in. 17 finishers.
UNDER-15 BOYS
IN-FORM North Shields Poly athlete James Sturman continued in that vein to come home 17 seconds clear of Blyth’s George Bryce with Wallsend’s Joseph Duthie-Brown claiming the bronze award. Sturman led the Poly to team success with 28 points, Elswick were second on 33 and Low Fell third with 70. 37 finishers.
UNDER-15 GIRLS
MORPETH’S Faye Heatley claimed victory by nine seconds with Prudhoe Plodders’ supporters celebrating loudly as their athletes crossed the line in second and third place. Phoebe Mulligan claimed the silver award four seconds ahead of team-mate Martha Thomas. Gosforth, won the team section with 39 points, Elswick finished second with 42 and Heaton were third with 59. 29 finishers.
UNDER-13 BOYS
MASON GAYLOR (Morpeth) claimed victory by 20 seconds over North Shields Poly’s Peter Davies with Tynedale’s Lloyd Vincent a further nine seconds back in third place. Davies led the Poly to team victory with 20 points, Heaton finished runners-up on 23 with Gosforth third on 35.
UNDER-13 GIRLS
BIRTLEY’S Poppie Phillipson continued her excellent run of form to claim another superb victory, crossing the line 36 seconds clear of Durham City’s Evie Kleiser with Birtley all-rounder Izzy Hall completing the one-two-three. Kleiser led Durham City to team success with 31 points, Elswick finished just three points behind for second place with North Shields Poly third on 42 points. 52 finishers.
UNDER-11 BOYS
A SHORTENED course saw Sunderland’s Oscar Paxton claim victory by two seconds over Tynedale’s Teddy Shephard with Gateshead’s Louis Gibson third a further second adrift. The top 20 across the line finished within 20 seconds of the winner. 62 finishers.
UNDER-11 GIRLS
WHILE the under-11 boys contest was a close affair that certainly wasn’t the case in the girls age group as Gosforth’s Ruby Colins crossed the line 12 seconds ahead of Rosa Tadele (Elswick) with Robyn Bain, also Gosforth, finishing in third place a further two seconds back. 72 finishers. Once again a huge turn out in the “Try Cross-Country” events, many on the start line for the very first time. Well done to you all.
**THANKS go to South Shields Harriers for once again hosting
an excellent day’s sport, your marshals were the tops; the technical officials;
the first aid team and to South Tyneside Council for their continued support
and lastly Start Fitness whose backing for the NEHL is greatly appreciated.
By Bill McGuirk
Photos: Stuart Whitman Photography
Full Results: Results - Harrier League
