Seven club competed in the annual Lever Trophy meeting held at Port Sunlight Oval last Saturday. Wallasey Athletic Club's representatives gave a good account of themselves and gained places in many events.
However, it seems a pity that an excellent meeting such as this should be confined to seniors and juniors only as Wallasey has such a wealth of talent amongst the younger members that they would certainly have gained two more firsts.
Our sole first was gained by international Len Platt in the long jump, who also finished 5th in the 100 yards. Maurice Price, after finishing 4th in his heat of the senior 440 yards, could not produce the form which has characterised his sprinting this year and was eliminated in his heat of the 100 yards. Our senior field events men were a little more successful. Carl gee was beaten in to 2nd place in the discus by only a foot while Ray Owen and Matt Smith were both 5th in the javelin and high jump respectively.
In the two-mile team race Wallasey could not, unfortunately, raise a team and so with no incentive to give of their best, John Lynch and Colin Harris did not do as well as I had hoped they would.
That Wallasey's strength lies in their junior members was clearly shown last Saturday. Ray Wood, who is now unfortunately in the forces, was perhaps the outstanding member of the team. Ray was unlucky to only finish third in his 100 yds. heat but he made up for this by gaining thirds in the javelin and 440 yds. final and then finished seventh in the one-mile team race, surely a very good afternoon's sport.
The one-mile team, though under strength, ran very well to finish second being only 3 pts. behind the winners. Pete White was too impatient to go into the lead and finished third, Brian Woolford finished after claiming that the mile was not his distance, and Ray Wood finished seventh after a fine sprint down the straight.
The ladies team comprised only four but managed to give a good account of themselves, finishing fourth in the relay, while Margaret Collings and Marie Bowney did extremely well to gain 2nds in the long jump and discus respectively. Mavis Ashworth gained a fifth in the high jump and M. Liversidge was unfortunately third in her heat of the 100 yds., in which Margaret Collings finished fourth. While the team were chasing round the Oval, Ron Barlow and Tom Kennedy were winning their events at the Cheshire Schools, Ron won the mile in 4 mins. 44 secs., while Tom beat the record in the 440 yards.
This Saturday, Wallasey are sending a team to the Inter-towns Championships at Long Lane, Fazakerley; the team should meet at Seacombe at 1 p.m. or Liverpool Landing Stage at 1:15 p.m. Entry forms for the Fleetwood - Hesketh Institute's Sports held at Southport are available at club H.Q. - it would be nice to see a good turnout of red vests.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 25/06/1955 by SPIKE
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