In the West Lancashire Novice Championship, run last Saturday at Earlstown over the Makerfield Harriers course, the Wallasey team amply fulfilled all the promise they have shown earlier in the season.
In a field of more than 100 runners, representing 15 of the leading clubs in Western Lancashire and district, Wallasey placed three out of the first twelve men home in the team race, were successful in coming second to Lancaster Harriers, failing by only a comparatively narrow margin to carry off the premier honours.
This performance was all the more creditable as the conditions were very definitely against the Wallasey team. Accustomed to a home course containing a lot of road and hard going, they had to race over extremely heavy ground with long stretches of plough waterlogged by the recent rain. But for this factor Wallasey would undoubtedly have occupied the first position in the race.
As it was at the end of the first lap of the two lap course, the team seemed to be well set for victory. With K. Andrew and D. Grisedale lying 3rd and 4th and J. Arkless close behind, 6th, the race was clearly between Wallasey and Lancaster Harriers, for the latter team also had all their counting men well up. The only question was- could Wallasey get a fourth runner into a reasonable position on the second lap? For behind Arkless the club's next man at this stage was P. Watson and he was well back in approximately the 40th place.
Unfortunately for the calculations of the Wallasey supporters it was now that the strain of the unusual conditions began to tell upon their runners. Andrew and his colleagues fought hard to keep up with the leaders but the heavy plough slowed them down and they were compelled to surrender one or two positions. The Lancaster team gained the advantage and packing magnificent they held it to the end to emerge victors by the narrow margin of 15 points.
Meanwhile Wallasey's fears for her fourth counter had proved unjustified, Watson, running very hard on the second lap came through in fine style, moving up from 40th to 18th thus backing up the splendid effort of his clubmates and enabling the team to finish an easy second. Behind Wallasey, Sefton Harriers never put in a serious challenge, and they finally finished third with 76 points.
Some idea of the extremely difficult conditions can be gained from the fact that out of 160 competitors only 79 finished the course and in view of this, the time of 29 mins. 15 secs. returned by the individual winner, J. Daniels (Pilkingtons Recreation); represented ai very fine effort. He led for almost the whole of the five miles and won fairly easily from W. Kay, of Wirral.
Result (individual placings); - 1, J. Daniels (Pilkington Recs.); 2, W. Kay (Wirral); 3, W. Scarisbrick (Lancaster Freehold); 4, I. Hoggarth (Lancaster Harriers); 5, J. Betts (Lancaster H.); 6, L. Silverwood (Lancaster Primrose).
Team placing:-
1. Lancaster Harriers 31 points
2. Wallasey A.C. 46
3. Sefton 76
4. Warrington 81
5. Leyland 89
6. Lancaster Primrose 122
Wallasey placings, - 8, K. Andrew; 9, D. Grisedale; 11, J. Arkless; 18, P. Watson.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 10/12/1938
Ref 1791