Wallasey A.C. visited Wirral A.C. at Prenton for an inter-club fixture on Saturday, in which Wallasey were defeated in the senior event by 12 points to 45 points but won the youth race by 15 points to 25.
In the absence of Don Anderson, Roy Parry took over the limelight in the youth race by winning fairly comfortably from Wirral's C. Hocking in a time of 11 mins. dead.
The race was run as a combined event for youth and boys and the usual three mile youth distance was accordingly reduced to two miles to allow for the younger age group.
Third man in only 15 seconds behind Roy Parry was young Walter Hogarth, recent winner of the Cheshire County boys' championship, who ran extremely well against older and more experienced runners. Wallasey's other scoring runners were I. McIvor 5th, and R. Shaw 6th, who were followed by B. Woolford 8th, L. Williams 9th, A, Anderson 11th, W. Farrell 12th, C. Harris 14th, and T. Rollins 15th.
A special word of praise is due to Les Williams who ran suprisingly well and turned in easily his best performance of the season.
Wallasey were well beaten in the senior race over 5 miles with only Alan Clarke in third place being prominent, the club's other counting runners going back to 13th, 14th and 15th places which were occupied by Ray Scammell, Eric Foster, and John Winrow.
Clarke is now fulfilling the promise there has always been in his running, and his performance in leading home such good athletes as Todd, Calvert and Gilmour must be rated as a very good effort indeed. First man home was Wirral's M. Morrell with their old stager Ken Hall in second place.
Bob Johnston was of course engaged in the Inter-Counties championship at Kettering, Northants, where he ran much below his normal form to be Cheshire's fifth man home in 91st position in a field of 280 runners. Johnston was as usual well up at the start but quickly fell back and had to struggle hard to finish in the nineties, although a runner of his accomplishments would normally be expected to finish around the thirties.
He seemed to be still feeling the effects of his great effort when winning the Cheshire County Senior championship recently , and he will certainly have to improve considerably on this form to retain his senior title in today's Liverpool & District Championships on Liverpool Permbroke's course at Court Hey, Broadgreen.
His main opponent will be Pembroke's rising star Ken Gates, who has already beaten Johnston twice recently in inter-club fixtures and who is confidently expected to annexe Johnston's title this afternoon. He is unbeaten by any local runner this season and finished well up in 26th place in last week's Inter-Counties Championships.
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running on his own course, Johnston will undoubtedly have to reproduce his Cheshire form to have a chance of winning but if he can do so the individual race should provide one of the finest tussles in this event in recent years.
Alan Clarke, Arnold Dinsdale should also be well up in this event.
The youth race (16-18) should also see a grand race between the strongly fancied Kevin Gilligan of Waterloo Harriers and Wallasey's Don Anderson.
Anderson recently defeated Gilligan at an inter-club fixture and Wallasey hopes are high that he will repeat the performance today, while Roy, Parry may also take hand in affairs at the head of the field.
These two runners will be well supported by John Warden and Wallasey must have a good chance in the team event, when much will depend on the running of Michael Greenhalgh, Hugh Pritchard and Colin Harris.
Wallasey do not appear to have very good prospects in the junior race (18-21) where Dave Standfast may well be Wallasey's first man home supported by Eric Maddock and Ken Ledward.
In the boys race, Wallasey's team should take a lot of beating with Walter Hogarth challenging K. Thompson and V. Cowan of Liverpool Harriers for the individual title The club team have been packing very solidly in recent weeks and seems to be strong right down to the last man. The team will be W. Hogarth, W. Farrell, T. Rollins, A. J. Anderson, G. L. Sefton, B. Woolford and I. McIvor. Good luck lads.''
Teams and supporters will meet at Liverpool Pier Head and as the boys are first off at 2:15, the team are asked to meet very promptly at 1:15 p.m. Youths and juniors will meet at 1:30 and the seniors at 2 p.m.
The championships are being held from Messrs. Vernon's premises at the Huyton Community Center, Court Hey, Broadgreen, and anyone unable to comply with the above arrangements are asked to make their own way as follows:- buses Crosville Nos. 116, 116a, 119, or Corporation 76. Trams 6 or 6a, all departing from the Pier Head.
Members are reminded that club and team photographs will be taken next Saturday at 3 p.m., at club H.Q., when the postponed junior club championship will also be run off.
Also taking place in Liverpool today are the North West Counties Weight Lifting Championships, when the club will be represented in the bantam and lightweight classes by Ron Brownbill and Jack McCulloch. , The championships are being held at the Y.M.C.A., Mount Pleasant, and as both Brownbill and McCulloch are in good trim it is hoped that they will be successful.
Applications for membership will be welcomed by asst. sec. Bob McCaig, 30 Taunton Road (Tel. Wall. 8904) , who will be pleased to give full details of the club's activities.
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Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 24/01/1953
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