LIVERPOOL FINALLY TAKE THE CROWN

AFTER SEVERAL NEAR-MISSES, THE MERSEYSIDERS TAKE THE MEN’S CROWN

REPORT: TREVOR BAXTER PICTURES: DAVID HEWITSON

Liverpool winners (l to r) Cameron Field, Jonny Mellor, Dejene Gezimu, James McNally, Daniel Cliffe and Matthew Jackson

IT WASN’T exactly the right analogy, but the sentiment summed up the success of the new senior men’s champions.

“We always seem to have been the bridesmaid, never the bride,” said Liverpool Harriers spokesman Arwel Williams after the Merseysiders clinched a long-overdue success.

In the senior women’s race, former ‘brides’ Leeds City waltzed up the aisle again in the four-stage championships.

Cameron Field (far right) leads the field at the start of the men’s race

But in Liverpool’s case, the Wavertree-based club had almost given up hope of coming out on top.

They came just 41 seconds off taking the title last year but were denied by Derby AC.

There was another silver medal at Leigh in 2012, a second place at Hartlepool in 2008, a silver at Birchwood 12 months earlier and a bronze at Hartlepool in 2006.

This time there was no stopping Liverpool as past near-misses were forgotten.

“It’s all about getting the athletes out,” added Williams. “We hoped we could medal because we knew we had a strong team out and we have been knocking at the door for some time. But there are no guarantees.”

Only two members of last year’s silver medal-winning squad remained, Daniel Cliffe and Matthew Jackson.

And it was Cliffe and anchor man Jackson who brought the team home in front on the final two legs. Jonny Mellor had given Liverpool a great chance with his run on leg two.

Jonny Mellor: fastest leg of the day

The GB international’s time of 15:59 was the fastest of the race and lifted the Harriers from seventh to first. Cameron Field, Dejene Gezimu and James McNally completed the winning team.

Liverpool covered the 6x6.4km course in 1:40:04, 30 seconds clear of the defending champions, Derby’s sextet of Hedley Hardcastle, Alex Pilcher, Hugo Milner, Luke Gunn, Matthew White and Richard Weir.

Morpeth, winners in 2004, 2005 and 2006, collected bronze for a second successive year, 48 seconds adrift of the winners through Sam Hancox, Ian Harding, Nick Swinburn, Carl Avery, Peter Newton and Thomas Straughan.

Andrew Heyes, who gave Hallamshire Harriers the lead, clocked the second fastest time behind Mellor with 16:10 while Peter Newton was third in 16:12.

Claire Duck, Harriet Buswell, Georgia Malir and Lucy Crookes (l to r) take the win

Lincoln Wellington arrived in Manchester as senior women’s title-holders, having taken bronze in 2014 as well. They also included three of their 2015 winning quartet: Natalie Burns, Abbie Donnelly and Sophie Cowper.

Leeds City, however, had been nowhere after winning medals in 2014 and 2013.

This time it was a different story, not without controversy as medal-contenders Stockport Harriers were disqualified for running a lap of the course short on the fourth leg.

Emily Japp’s time of 16:44 was the quickest of the day and she put Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde in front after the opening stage. Leeds – through Claire Duck – were third, while the champions crossed the line fourth with Burns.

Donnelly put Lincoln in front at the halfway stage with Leeds dropping just outside the top three.

Georgia Malir clocked 16:59 to give the Yorkshire club the lead with Stockport threatening in fifth.

But confusion on the last leg cost the Cheshire club a chance to repeat their 2014 triumph and Lucy Crookes anchored Leeds to victory despite fast-finishing Cowper.

Leeds recorded a cumulative time of 1:09:31, 12 seconds clear of Lincoln Wellington with Rotherham Harriers given third in 1:11:46.

Liverpool Harriers looked well placed to complete a men’s and women’s double when placed third at halfway thanks to Rachael Burns and Hannah Delaney.

Instead, Sarah Howard strayed off course, dropping to 11th and giving Sophie Whiteside too much to do to finish in the medals.

Lincoln Wellington were the best B team, finishing seventh overall through Rochelle Harrison, Catrina Thomas, Sophie Darling and Laura Wilkinson.