The last round of the Red Rose Cross Country League was a true test of the traditional English cross country runner, or a complete mud-bath depending on your perspective.

Marl Pits at Rawtenstall is always very heavy with its clinging clay base, and the recent rains only served to enhance its properties.

At least for the U11s at the beginning of the fixture the ground wasn’t too churned up and the in-form Blackburn Harrier Elizabeth Greenwood kept her perfect record with a fourth win to take the series.

Alexa McTiffin was fourth on the day and third in the series for Hyndburn AC, although Rossendale with their strength in depth took the series team award.

They were also second to Blackburn in the boys’ series. Chorley AC had their best moment in the U13 boys’ race with Fergus Tallon’s second place but they couldn’t muster a full team and Blackburn carried the day with Robert Wong and Robert Blow fourth and fifth.

The two Roberts were second and fifth over the season as their club won again. Sally Searson became Blackburn’s second champion even though she didn’t win a single race in the U13s – but with four second places it was still well deserved.

Hosts Rossendale Harriers were team champions after trailing both Bury and Bolton with one race to go but Megan Solomon, Isabella Lewis and Rebecca Flanagan produced the goods when it mattered most.

Like Searson, Megan Davies from Rossendale was second four times, but the U15 didn’t end up first outright as the same athlete beat her every time. Dale therefore had to wait until the U17 category was resolved for their first champion Joe Johnston, who was a three time winner.

The opening round had been won by Chris Matthews who was the overall runner-up and the pick of the winning Blackburn squad, while Luke Betts of Chorley AC will collect the bronze medal.

With Johnston having won his first England vest this summer, all the U17 and U20 titles went to fell running internationals as Rossendale’s Emma Flanagan and Ashley Kay took U20 honours and Beckie Taylor won the U17s for Blackburn Harriers.

All the results are provisional until the league’s scrutiny meeting on December 16 and some of the results, especially for the senior and veteran women, will change before then.