If Belgrave Harriers thought, after lifting the AAA six-stage road relay title for the first time the previous weekend, retaining their Priory Cross Country relays title at Reigate was going to be a doddle then they were in for a big shock.

Not only did they fail to hang onto their Priory crown but they succumbed to the unexpected challenge of their south London rivals Herne Hill Harriers in the six-stage event.

The signs were ominous at the end of the first stage as Ben Woodd brought Herne Hill home in 13min 52sec, some four seconds ahead of Belgrave's Joachim Woolf.

Bels captain Roger Alsop then took his squad into the lead on stage two, clocking 13:35. Herne Hill's Keith Newton (13:54) handed over 15 seconds down.

Charles Herrington (13:48) stretched Belgrave's lead to 25 seconds by the half-way stage as Dave Peters (13:58) ran the third stage for Herne Hill.

British veterans 10km champion Micky Boyle stormed round lap four in 13:40 to clock the second fastest time of his team and take Herne Hill within four seconds of Belgrave for whom Rob McHarg clocked 14:02 to keep them in the lead.

However, all changed on the penultimate lap. Belgrave's hopes evaporated as Will Cockerell, who was brought in as a late replacement, struggled round the penultimate lap in 15:01 handing over one minute behind Herne Hill's Dave Robinson (13:58) .

Stormed

With international Dave Taylor on the final lap, there was no question Herne Hill would stay ahead. He stormed round in 12:52, easily the fastest time of the day, to bring his team home more than two minutes clear in 1:22:14 with Belgrave second in 1:24:19.

Herne Hill also provided the first B team. Their quartet of Andy Weir (13:38), Vic Maughn (14:43), Ian Lockett (15:08), Simon Coombes (14:50), Mark Leggett (16:32) and Simon Stevens (14:10) were fifth in 1:29:01 ahead of Belgrave's B team which was sixth 45 seconds later.

November 12, 2001 12:00