THE last couple of years have seen an influx of new clubs taking part in the Red Rose Cross Country League, but league stalwarts Rossendale Harriers have shown this season that they can still set the standard.

As the rearranged fixture at Wilson Playing Fields in Clayton-le-Moors belatedly brought the final curtain down on the league season, it emerged that three of Rossendale's junior squads had lifted team titles.

The Red Rose Committee will meet this week to confirm the final results, but the provisional outcome is that the under 13 boys, under 13 girls and under 15 boys titles have been swept up by Dale.

Sam Tosh and Joseph Kelly placed second and equal third in the under 13 final standings as Anthony Hauserman and Ben Hilton both featured as counters during the season.

It was a similar story in the under 15s where consistently high finishes from Paul Wadsworth and Carl Andrew left them each with a share of the individual bronze medal.

Andrew Seed and Aaron Kelly also scored for the team.

The under 15 girls team was Emma Flanagan, Katie Ireland, Heather Parker and Laura Briggs, with Flanagan equal second overall after winning the Bury meeting and Ireland fifth.

The seniors were no slouches either as veterans Thornton Taylor and Steve Duxbury won the M45 and M50 categories.

With Tony Davies also prominent, the club won the veteran team prize and were second in the senior standings.

The series was a personal triumph for Clayton Harrier Mark Aspinall, who was the winning senior at the age of 43.

Going into the final race tied on points with Bolton junior Tim Ellis, he finished second to guest runner Neil Tattersall of Pendle with Ellis third - Aspinall wins both the senior and veteran titles.

The Clayton men take bronze medals in the senior and veteran team standings, while Clayton women earn two team silvers. Anna Kelly was equal third over 40.

Hosts Hyndburn were a little thin on the ground with athletes away at the Reebok race in Belfast, but Reebok Champion Curtis Pearce stayed home and took a resounding 40 second victory in the under 15 race.

It was Peter Matthews' first defeat after winning at Bury and Rossendale and he clinched the individual gold medal.

It was one of four won by Blackburn Harriers after Matt Wood and Paul Bradshaw tied in the under 17s and Emma Graham was equal first for the under 17 women.

Bradshaw and Graham had each won the first two events of the season but Wood took victory at Hyndburn as Bolton's Katie Smith shaded Graham. Sophie Croxson won the bronze.

The under 13 girls cooked up a cracking series with the top three girls competing in all four rounds and all demonstrating winning ability.

Leanne Scott of Burnley saved her best until last, triumphing at Wilsons to share the runners-up spot with Rossendale's Flanagan.

However, Burnley club mate Emma Hornsby had already sealed the title with two firsts and a second to her credit.

Newcomers Darwen Dashers made their mark on the series with Linda Clarkson and Jackie Shaw first and third over 35s, and there was a perfect winning score for junior women Rachael Thompson.

The Horwich Harrier, who attends school in Blackburn, capped her season with her third victory on Sunday.

ATHLETES hoping to be selected for the Lancashire Cross Country Team will have to wait a little longer.

Selector Brian Craig has delayed naming the side until after the Northern Championships on January 24. The Inter Counties will be on Saturday March 6 at Nottingham.