Wirral A.C. entertained Boundary Harriers and Wallasey Athletic Club at Prenton last Saturday. The course of 5½ miles was in fairly heavy condition through the recent rains, several streams being quite swollen.
Many champions and ex-champions were in the field of 68 runners, the outstanding man being the International Cross-Country Champion, C. A. J. Emery, holder of the English Native 2 miles record, A.A.A. 3 miles champion, Midland Counties 1 mile champion, Liverpool & District half-mile champion, etc.
Wallasey A.C. were without the services of their captain, W. R. Richardson, as well as two of their best runners in K. Westmore and N. Marples, who were all on business.
The race started at a good pace with S. Davey, of Wirral, and W. P. Davey, of Wallasey, both, incidentally, Liverpool & District Junior Cross-Country ex-champions, but not related to one another, going to the front and fighting hard over the first two miles.
T. B. Calveley, of Wirral, who was formerly with Wallasey A.C., being runner-up to W. R. Richardson in the Wallasey A.C. Club Championship in the 1933-4 season and again in the 1934-5 season, was lying third. Then came a bunch of Wallasey runners led by two of the most promising and consistent runners that Wallasey has yet produced, namely, D. Grisdale and G. Andrew. Behind these was Edwards, the Wallasey Champion, running with. J. S. Arkless, who, although still quite young, has effected a most amazing come-back after an absence ol four seasons. At two miles Emery started to make his presence felt, streaking past some of the runners with a demoralising effect and the Wallasey runners became separated a little. Emery went out to the front with S. Davey, whilst Calveley, Edwards and W. P. Davey formed a last-moving trio behind them. Ploughed fields, swollen streams with steep banks, slippery and sometimes heavy grassland with its inevitable barbed wire gates and fencing, all were taken at furious pace by the five leaders. Emery, however, took S. Davey out of reach of the Wallasey runners and Calveley, who became Champion of Wirral A.C. in 1937, gave in to Edwards about a mile from the finish after a struggle which left him rather exhausted and indeed he was lucky to secure fourth place, for the ever alert W. P. Davey came down to finishing straight like a rocket and failed by mere inches to beat Calveley. Edwards and W. P. Davey finished as fresh as any of the leading runners; in fact, the former was not even breathing hard and did not stop to pick his finishing number up.
J. J. Kay, of Wirral A.C., who finished 2nd in the West Lancs. Novice Championship on the previous Saturday, was 6th, being chased home hard by the Wallasey "twins," D. Grisdale and G. Andrew, 7th and 8th respectively. Arkless gave another good performance to finish 10th and F. K. Ledward, the acting captain completed Wallasey's securing 14th place. One of Wallasey A.C's. most popular runners he has, nowadays, to run with his head more than his legs and his effort last Saturday agreeably surprised everyone.
Of the other Wallasey runners J. Cunningham and E. A. Sawyer, who were both " trying themselves, were 15th, and 16th respectively, which looks very good for experimental efforts, and the youthful Pritchard put in another stout effort to secure 22nd place in this big field.
Boundary Harriers did not live up to their position as runners-up in the Liverpool & District Senior Cross-Country Championship, their first man home being 17th.
FULL RESULT.
Wirral A.C. - 1, C. A. J. Emery; 2, S. Davey: 4, T. B. Calveley; 6, J. J. Kay ; 9, G. E. Jones; 11, J. Phillips. 33 pts.
Wallasey A.C. - 3, J. Edwards; 5, W. P. Davey; 7, D. Grisdale; 8, G. K. Andrew; 10, J. S. Arkless; 14, F. K. Ledward. 47 pts.
Boundary Harriers.-17, J. Davenport; 20, E. Cole; 21, R. Edwards; 23, J. O'Neill; 27, J. Tunstall; 28, F. Hinde. 136 pts.
To-day Wallasey Athletic Club hold their Novice Championship, which was abandoned three weeks ago, starting at 3-15 prompt from Leasowe-road.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 17/12/1938
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