• Fixtures & Results
  • Fixtures
  • Results
  • Grand Prix
  • Christmas Handicap
  • Summer Handicap
• News
  • Club Races
  • Open Races
• History
  • History
  • Centenary
  • Club Records

Club Race Reports Season 1953-1954

---

---

Round 2 - Race 2 - Leasowe - 24/10/1953 - Senior Men

In the first of the new Liverpool & District League fixtures held last Saturday, Wallasey Athletic Club entertained Waterloo Harriers and a good race resulted in a convincing win for Wallasey by 35 points to 49 points. J. Swann of Waterloo was the individual race winner with a time of 38 minutes 38 seconds for the 6¼ mile course. Ken Ledward gained 2nd place, making his first appearance for some months owing to Army service. He was ably supported by Roy Parry who finished fourth although suffering from a slight knee injury. Next was E. Maddock in 5th place closely followed by Colin Harris - probably the most improved runner in the club. Bob Fullerton, recently demobbed after National Service; showed that he is still capable of a good performance over the country, his 'quarter' training giving him the essential speed for the start and finish of the longer distance races. The 6th team counter was club captain Alan Clarke, who was probably a little disappointed at his own performance, but must have been cheered by the performance of the team as a whole. The youths' team also raced over three miles and this resulted in a win for that strong runner Roy Shaw the youth captain. His time of 16-54 was a good one. Woolford in 4th place and Farrell in 5th continued to show promise and John Williams ably supported them in 7th place.

Round 3 - Race 1 - Leasowe - 31/10/1953 - Senior Men

The lack of senior members in the cross-country section was made increasingly obvious last Saturday when in probably their toughest fixture of the season, they lost to Pembroke Harriers 22 points to 128 points. After five Pembroke men recorded 39mins. 15secs. for 1st place over the six-mile course, Wallasey took sixth place, but were then squeezed out by the main Pembroke pack, and did not have another man home until 20th place. Individual Wallasey places were Roy Parry 6, in 39mins. 26 secs. (a good race in his first year as a senior); Ken Ledward 20, Colin Harris 23, Alan Clarke 24, Bob Fullerton 26, Jim Rimmer 29. Roy Shaw again set the pace for the home team, but could finish only 4th in the youth race in the time of 17mins. 17 secs. Pembroke took 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 8th places to count, with R. Williams the winner in 16mins. 15secs. The remaining men to count for Wallasey were B. Woolford, W. Farrell, and R. Barlow in 5th 6th and 7th places respectively.

Round 4 - Race 2 - Leasowe - 21/11/1953 - Senior Men

Conditions were not ideal for the fixture against, Liverpool Boundary, the course was muddy throughout and on the marshes at Bidston water was in some places one foot deep. Without Roy Parry, ill with 'flu, and Ken Ledward, Wallasey finished 4th , 5th, 8th, 9th, 11th and 12th - 49 points, 20 points behind Boundary, who finished 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th and 10th. First man home was A. Prescot (Boundary), 38 minutes 25 secs., with Eric Maddocks - (Wallasey) in 4th place, 40 mins. 21 secs. Dave Standfast, 40 mins. 38 secs; Alan Clarke. 41 mins. 43 secs., Colin Harris. 41 mins. 46 secs., Dennis Kelly 42 mins. 37. secs., and Bob Fullerton 43 mins. 16 secs., were the remaining counters - whilst Hugh Pritchard, Jim Rimmer and John Winrow finished 14th, 15th and 17th. The youth race was run as a friendly, Boundary having only three runners, Wallasey, however, completely outran them, filling the first eight places, Roy Shaw, 1st in 16 mins. 38 secs. proves himself a consistent runner; Bill Farrell was 2nd in 17 mins. 12 secs. and Brian Woolford 3rd in 17 mins. 10 secs.

Round 1 - Race 3 - Court Hey - 05/12/1953 - Senior Men

Against some of the best runners on Merseyside, Wallasey finished 8th as a team, and also lost to Sefton Harriers in the postponed league fixture run in conjunction. Wallasey's placings were :- Finney team race Sefton event Roy Parry 48th 4th Don Anderson 53rd 6th Dennis Kelly 58th 9th Colin Harris 61st 10th Dave Standfast 63rd 11th Hugh Pritchard 67th 12th John Winrow 71st - Alan Clarke 76th - Total points being 497 and 52, Sefton's points being 26. Roy Parry and Don Anderson could not keep up their strong challenge throughout the race as neither were completely fit following illness. Bob Fullerton 80th, Ramsey Hewson 82nd, and Ray Scammell 91st, also completed the course.

Round 5 - Race 1 - Woolton Woods - 12/12/1953 - Senior Men

Some of the thrill of leading the Liverpool & District cross-country table must have been lost for Liverpool Harriers, following the disappointing fixture against Wallasey last Saturday. Only two members from the senior and junior section turned up for the team race. The youths, however, turned out in greater force than Harriers for their friendly fixture. Illness can be considered a reasonable excuse for non-attendance, but failure to notify the cross-country secretary or captain is surely inexcusable. Alan Clarke finished 11th, Ramsey Hewson 18th - Liverpool Harriers filled the remaining places to 17th place, so with the remaining four counters 19th, 20th, 21st, and 22nd place, Wallasey had to be content with 111 points against Harriers 21. If Harriers had entered the strong packing usually associated with Pembroke, Wallasey may well have finished bottom of the table.