Hampshire League XC, Prospect Park, Reading
TONY Allen had his first cross country run-out in Stubbington colours this season when he headed for Prospect Park in Reading and the fourth round of the Hampshire Cross Country League.
Terrific Tone was Stubbington's leading runner in the men's race finishing 22nd and third in the Vet40 age group in a time of 31min 18sec. He inspired a strong Stubbington performance which has put the men's team firmly in the promotion frame.
Andy Simpson was next in 56th place in 33.08 followed by Chris Hall in 69th place in 33.48 and 17th Vet40, with John Gueran placing 135th (Vet 50, 54th) in 38.17, and Mike Bell just 10 seconds behind in 139th (Vet 50, 57th). John's son, Daniel, was also in the mix in 144th place in a time of 39.08 for 17th under-20, and Gordon Westley bolstered some fine Stubbington packing in 147th with 39.25. Nick Crane crossed the finish line in 174th in a time of 41.28 (Vet 50, 81st).
Those performances have left Stubbington's men in second place in Division 2 behind Reading Roadrunners, who are well ahead on four points. The Greens lie second with 15ptsw, followed closely by third-placed Fleet & Crookham on 18pts and Farnham Runners in fourth with 20pts. Both Alton Runners and Eastleigh Running Club in fifth and sixth hold 21pts, so with six points separating second and sixth, there is all to run for in the remaining fixtures.
The vets team, who are competing in division 1, face a fight to avoid the drop lying ninth in the 10-team division. New Forest Runners are the cellar dwellers on 32pts, with Stubbington on 31pts and Poole Runners on 28pts.
It all comes to a head with the fifth and final fixture at Canford Park in Wimborne, Dorset on Saturday, February 16th.
The former Birchfield Harrier, Tom Payne, who is now running for Winchester & District AC won the men's race in 28.18 though was a non-scorer. He was followed by talented teenager, Steve Connor, who was 27 seconds behind.
In the women's race, Penny Forse led the ladies home in 23rd place in a time of 24min 42sec for eighth overall in the Veteran category. Margie Pritchard was 48th and 13th Vet in 28.16 in a depleted women's team hit hard by the Stubbington 10km race the following day.
The race was won by Aldershot, Farnham & District teenager Louise Small in 20.36, with former Stubby, Becky Gough, now running for Winchester & District AC, placing sixth in 22.07 and fifth under-20 finisher.