The final Liverpool and District League race found Liverpool Pembroke Sefton struggling to field a team but for those who showed at Stadt Moers Park it was an uplifting experience as the stalwarts present all raised their game. Pride of place went to Kyle Nicholls who has adjusted well to racing at senior level. He got on the shoulder of his more experienced team mate, Ian Roberts, and ran with confidence and courage until Ian put his strength to good account and edged away to finish 6th in a useful field. Kyle never gave up and was rewarded with 7th spot. Kyle is the surprise packet of the club`s Junior runners so far this season.
Veteran runners propped up the rest of the side with Matt Thompson(18) beginning to enjoy his first serious cross-country odyssey followed by Chris Pedder(30), demonstrating what flat out running really entails. John Wealthy(33), another to relish the mud and hills this term, and ever-reliable Greg Callaghan(50) closed in with Kevin Carroll(63) keeping an avuncular eye on proceedings and available should there be any slip-ups. The overall result was third team on the day and third overall. This is satisfactory but no more. The club has a wealth of talent and should be eye-balling the best locally not trailing behind its more committed rivals.
There was a similar poor turn out in the corresponding Mid-Lancs League at Kendal. The Under 17 men fielded a useful trio in the shape of Ryan Blackwell(5), James Loftus(10) and Jonathan Bride(18) for a fourth placing and keeping alive hopes of medals at the end of the campaign. At U15 Anna Hulme(8) looked good with Rosie Walsh(14) in attendance and in the corresponding boys race there was only Liam Bibby(12). Elsewhere U11 Adam Hulme(46) ran bravely and U13s Megan Barnsley(16) and sister Alex Barnsley(24) flew the flag for LPS. Bua Kalasiram(32) gets better all the time at senior women`s level and clearly enjoyed the outing. The club can largely recover from by-passing this particular encounter but with hopes still alive for medals at all the junior level races a greater determination to get runners out after the Christmas break is demanded.
Charles Gains
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