Wallasey A.C. sprang a surprise when they deservedly won the annual Waterloo Road Race over the 6¾ mile course.
The trio of Wright, White and Barlow excelled themselves and inflicted a crushing defeat on some of the top teams in the North.
The weather was cold but dry as the 300 or so runners set of on the course. After some two miles John Wright was in the leading group which comprised such stars as Johnnie Wilde, the international from East Cheshire, and Gerry North, English junior cross-country champion. Closely following these came another group headed by Pete White, Ron Barlow and Fred Norris, the Olympic marathon runner.
At 4 miles White and Wright were 5th and 6th and Barlow had dropped slightly to 9th position. There was little change now until the finish with Wright and White finishing practically in line in 4th and 5th places. This is fast becoming a habit; with junior star Ron Barlow in 11th position. It was obvious that no other team stood a chance, and the final result was in fact an 18 point win for the local team over powerful Rochdale and Manchester Lads Club.
This is probably one of the finest results obtained by a Wallasey team, and it would appear that at last we are coming into the local picture, for with Tony Townsend 51st and Dave White 66th (they are both juniors running well over their normal distance), Phil Townsend 102nd and Vince Bayliss 118th it is clear that this should prove a bumper year.
At the moment we are tying for leading place in the Merseyside League with powerful Pembroke Harriers and to-day we travel to Woolton Village for a league fixture with Pembroke and Liverpool Harriers. This will obviously prove a needle match, with a possible turn out of Pembroke's star, Kevin Gilligan, who is ranked about 6th this year in the world 3 mile list. All members are begged to turn out as this will decide the league result. The team should meet at the Pier Head bookstall (Liverpool) at 1.15 p.m. or travel independently by buses 73,74 or 74 to Woolton Village.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 16/11/1957 by SPIKE
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