The Northern Counties (West of the Pennines) athletics team met, and defeated by 96 pts. to 86, a Midlands Counties team in bright sunshine at Kirkby Stadium, Liverpool, on Sunday.
Wallasey's Dave Lockley, running for the North in the 2,000 metres steeplechase, went straight into the lead and covered the first lap of 450 yards in a very fast 68 seconds - too fast, perhaps, because he was overhauled down the back straight during the second lap, and came through in fourth position from a 70.5 lap. His hurdling, usually so smooth, was not working for him up to this point and he was giving away ground unnecessarily at each barrier.
A slow fourth lap of 75 seconds killed any hope that Lockley had of a personal-best, but Wheway was now seen to be slowing, and Dave took the opportunity to gather him in and go ahead at the bell, which was reached in 4 min. 45 secs.
He was now back into his best hurdling form and a final lap of 71.6 disposed of his Midlands rival and maximum points.
Final times were: 1, Holden, 5 min. 47 secs.; 2, Blakeley, 5 min. 49.8 secs.; 3, Lockley, 5 min. 56.6 secs.; 4, Wheway, 5 min. 58.8 secs., and Johnston, 6 min. 6.4 secs.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Friday, 27/09/1968 by Discobolus
Ref 2206