COMPETITION is hotting in the McNeils Intersport North Essex League after defending champions Springfield Striders notched their first win of the season in the third race at Landseer Park, Ipswich, last Sunday.

COMPETITION is hotting in the McNeils Intersport North Essex League after defending champions Springfield Striders notched their first win of the season in the third race at Landseer Park, Ipswich, last Sunday.

Just 23 points separated the top three teams. Although Colchester Harriers AC won the men's race, and hosts Ipswich Jaffa topped the ladies' standings, Springfield proved the most consistent in both categories to secure the overall victory.

A muddy two-lap course greeted a field of more than 150 runners at Landseer Park. Once again, there was no stopping Springfield's Paul Dobson, who rattled up his third successive win in this league.

Tom Payn, of Colchester & Tendring AC, took second spot, pursued by the Colchester Harriers double-act of Paul Spowage and Colin Lewin. Matt Blaco, of Hadleigh Hares, completed the top five.

The leading names in the ladies' race had a familiar ring to them. Colchester & Tendring AC's Sue McCann claimed her third consecutive league win, with Jaffa's Gail Pryke again her nearest challenger in second position.

Val Jennings, fast returning to form, was third in the colours of Jaffa, ahead of teenager Megan Hughes and Springfield's leading performer Liz Turk.

Ipswich's third team scorer Maria Davis was sixth.

In the final analysis, Springfield were 21 points better off than Jaffa, who in turn edged out Colchester Harriers by just two points.

At the halfway stage, after three of six meetings, Jaffa hold a two point advantage, thanks to their wins, at the first two events. Colchester & Tendring lead Pool B, and they will be vying with Great Bentley RC for promotion over the coming weeks.

The fourth meeting is at Halstead on December 16.

Results

Top 40 Men: 1 P Dobson (Springfield); 2 T Payn (Colchester & Tendring); 3 P Spowage (Colchester Harriers); 4 C Lewis (Col/Har); 5 M Blaco (Hadleigh); 6 P Pearce (Gt Bentley); 7 G Knott (Harwich); 8 R Cobden (Witham); 9 M Rea (Springfield); 10 G Tomlinson (Gt Bentley).

11 M Gamble-Thompson (Col/Har); 12 A Smalls (Col/Har); 13 S MacSephaney (Jaffa); 14 M Heley (Springfield); 15 J Meachen (Harwich); 16 D Wright (Col/Har); 17 B Rogers (Jaffa); 18 M Blackman (Jaffa); 19 C Applegate (Tiptree); 20 A Mason (Springfield).

21 T Back (Jaffa); 22 P Harris (Springfield); 23 B Matthews (Witham); 24 P McClelland (Harwich); 25 G McDowell (Col/Har); 26 S Wolton (Halstead); 27 B Langley (Halstead); 28 L Broadbridge (Springfield); 29 R Hewitt (Jaffa); 30 G Doel (Col Har).

31 D Robinsoin (Hadleigh); 32 P Turner (Jaffa); 33 M Anderson (Gt Bentley); 34 M Bucham (Col/Tend); 35 S Turnbull (Witham); 36 S Dobson (Tiptree); 37 I Vickery (Col/Tend); 38 C Ross (Springfield); 39 B Revill (Col/Har); 40 P Gooding (Harwich).

Top 30 Ladies: 1 S McCann (Col/Tend); 2 G Pryke (Jaffa); 3 V Jennings (Jaffa); 4 M Hughes (Col/Tend); 5 L Turk (Springfield); 6 M Davis (Jaffa); 7 S Stradling (Tiptree); 8 B Wallen (Tiptree); 9 L Connaghan (Harwich); 10 L Tanner (Col/Tend).

11 D Harris (Springfield); 12 T Turner (Jaffa); 13 R Pittman (Springfield); 14 E Knott (Harwich); 15 W Carter (Halstead); 16 K Snowling (Harwich); 17 J Tanner (Col/Tend); 18 M Lenihan (Gt Bentley); 19 J Haselwood (Jaffa); 20 M Constable (Jaffa).

21 E Haselwood (Jaffa); 22 L Horton (Gt Bentley); 23 G Smith (Col/Tend); 24 K Riley (Gt Bentley); 25 M Skelcher (Jaffa); 26 R Richardson-Wright (Col/Har); 27 D Childs (Tiptree); 28 J Hieatt-Smith (Col/Har); 29 J Revill (Col/Har); 30 M Robinson (Gt Bentley).

Mens' Teams: 1 Col Har 101 pts; 2 Springfield 132; 3 Jaffa 171; 4 Harwich 271; Gt Bentley 332; 6 Witham 353; 7 Col/Tend 366; 8 Hadleigh 401; 9 Halstead 440; 10 Tiptree 502.

Ladies' Teams: 1 Jaffa 11pts, 2 Col/Tend 15; 3 Springfield 29; 4 Harwich 39; 5 Tiptree 42; 6 Gt Bentley 64; 7 Col/Har 83; 8 Witham 228; 9 Halstead 335; 10 Hadleigh 354.

Combined Teams: 1 Springfield 161; 2 Jaffa 182; 3 Col/Har 184; 4 Harwich 310; 5 Col/Tend 381; 6 Gt Bentley 396; 7 Tiptree 544; 8 Witham 581; 9 Hadleigh 755; 10 Halstead 775.

League standings (after three of six events)

Pool A: 1 Jaffa 29pts; 2 Springfield 27; 3 Col/Har 25; 4 Harwich 21; 5 Tiptree 16.

Pool B: 1 Col/Tend 15pts; 2 Gt Bentley 14; 3 Halstead 7; 4 Witham 6; 5 Hadleigh 5.