LEIGH Harriers' young cross country quartet stormed to their first team victory of the season.

The youth squad made up of Sam Cooke, Alex Urmston, Neil Pendlebury and Andy Edwards scored in the Wilf Richards' races at Heaton Park on Saturday.

In an outstanding run over two and a half miles Sam led the side home in second place in 14min 51sec. He was followed by Alex in fourth in 15min 12sec, Neil sixth in 16min 18sec and Andy, running his best of the season, finished eighth in 16min 39sec to take an easy team prize.

Four legs

The senior men's and women's races were run as three mile relays, the men covering four legs and the women three.

For the ladies Anne Powell on the first leg for the A team clocked the sixth fastest time of the day to hand over to Amanda Fernley in third in 18min 44sec.

Amanda ran a solid 22min 13sec leg losing just one place. Gemma Farley recorded the second fastest Leigh time of 20min 22sec to keep hold of fourth team spot.

The B team lead off by Lauren Howarth in 21min 4sec gave a creditable performance to finish seventh overall. Sara Cain on the second leg crossed the line in 25min 28sec and Emma Morris finished a well run third leg in 22min 36sec.

Improved

The senior squad was led off by John Howarth who brought Leigh home in 10th place in 17min 18sec .

Andy Arnold improved the team placing to eighth with a time of 18min 14sec then Keith Boardman lost a place finishing in 18min 41sec. On the last leg John Indricks steamed round in 18min 28sec and pull back two places to seventh.

For the B team Sean Spillane completed the course in 19min 17sec and harriers' super vet Derek Howarth ran an outstanding second leg recording 23min 20 sec, not bad for an over 70 years old!

In the U15 event Mike Goddard came home in ninth place and Isaac McCann was 10th in the U13s.