Wallasey A.C. entertained Wirral A.C. and Liverpool Harriers at their Leasowe Road H.Q., on Saturday, when the three clubs raced over Wallasey's Christmas handicap coarse.
This coarse is a fast 3½ miles, starting from the playing field gates on Leasowe Road, continuing down Telegraph Lane, along the embankment and over the shore to Leasowe Common, and finishing with a straight run in down Leasowe Road.
Wirral international Johnny Green took full advantage of the fast going and reduced Bob Johnston's course record by about half a minute to win comfortably in 16 minutes 32 secs.
Second place in 16 mins. 50 secs. was filled by Ron Davies of Liverpool Harriers, recent runner up in the West Lancashire senior; while third place went to the versatile Morrell of Wirral A.C. with Irish international Tony O'Mahoney in fourth position.
Wallasey were considerably weakened by the absence of several runners competing in the Northern Schools' championships at Manchester and were no match for the visitors, the winners being Wirral A.C., who placed their counting four in the first six to beat Liverpool Harriers by 15 points to 23 points, Wallasey's first man was Alan Clarke 10th, in 18 mins. 23 secs. and he was followed by Ken Ledward, Ray Scammell, Bob Johnston, and Harold Thompson in that order.
Meanwhile at Wythenshaw Park, Manchester, a number of W.A.C. runners were representing Oldershaw and Wallasey Grammar School in the Northern Schools' championships, and David Standfast and Roy Parry both ran excellently to finish in 5th and 6th positions respectively, with John Warden and Wally Hogarth well up in 34th and 64th places. The winner was A. S. Jackson of Roundhay, Leeds.
The playing fields will be open for track training from April 1.
Today Wallasey A.C. entertain Wallasey Grammar School in an under 18 cross-country fixture for boys and youths, while for those not engaged there will be a club run at 3.15 p.m.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 21/03/1953 by R.M.
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