ATHLETICS: THURROCK Harriers’ senior men had their best team performance of the cross-country season when they finished sixth at the fourth round of the Essex League at Hockley.

Over a boggy course that included one section of water that was virtually a pond, the Harriers were led home by Alex Houghton who looked in his best competitive form to finish 16th with a beautifully judged race.

Scott Rice is still in contention for a medal in the 40+ section of the series and finished 35th overall on Saturday, but was slightly disappointed with his fourth placed finish among the over 40 athletes.

Tey Lynn-Jones featured in these sport pages last week in his capacity as a promising young boxer. This week he should feature as an extremely promising young endurance runner as he finished a few seconds behind Rice in 36th place. Lynn-Jones was competing in football boots against serious club runners.

Behind him was the experienced veteran John Green who showed his best form for a couple of years to finish 37th with the ever-improving Antony Tobin next in 48th.

Don Lawless ran to form to finish 50th which closed the team in with 222 points.

There were five other Thurrock runners: Jon Metcalf 63rd, Mick Bumstead reinforced his domination of the 60+ part of the race by finishing 65th. Also amongst the 125 finishers were Martin Mack 70th, Gary Cahill 82nd and Bernie Johnson 93rd.

Many of the young Harriers took the weekend off from competing to focus on training as the fixture took place between two huge dates for them: the Essex championships of last weekend and this Saturday’s Essex Schools Championships at Hylands Park, Chelmsford.

In the under-13 boys, Reece Scott again ran well to finish in seventh place with Ben Prior 39th, Mason Hambleton 47th and Henri Willett 51st. Kira Scott was Harriers’ sole representative in the under-13 girls race, finishing in 18th spot.

lTHURROCK’S Demi Eves competed in the under 13 event at Hockley because there was no under 11 race. The plucky youngster finished in 21st position. Her next race will be the final Essex League x-country at Chingford.