Athletics: It seemed like a step back in time when Ipswich Harriers had to travel to Bury St Edmunds for their 'home' fixture in the National Young Athletes League meeting.

It seemed like a step back in time when Ipswich Harriers had to travel to Bury St Edmunds for their 'home' fixture in the National Young Athletes League meeting.

It turned out to be a very windy, wet and bitterly cold day but the Ipswich Harriers athletes, in spite of the conditions, came away with several individual best performances.

Ipswich had to settle for third place overall, mainly due to the fact that team manager Garfield Hunt was let down by some of the team who didn't make an appearance after saying they would.

The club looking for promotion in this league this season so again commitment from the athletes is required.

The competition came from Southend, who won the match on 210 points, Bexley 188, Ipswich 156 and Medway and Maidstone 48.

The star of the show from Ipswich Harriers point of view was Under-17 Ben Higgins, who gained a grade C for English schools in the 200m when he lowered his best time down to 23.1 for the win, then in the 400m gained his second win and pb with 52.4s.

In the 100m both boys, Ben Hanley and Stuart Berry, ran their best times in 12.8 and 13.5 respectively and in the 800m Luke Farris lowered his time to 2.31.7s.

Out on the field Martin Bennett took wins from the long jump and shot and then in the discus finished second with a pb throw of 22.56ms. In the pole vault Daniel Alcock won the event with a clearance of 2.00ms.

Mark Dickenson in the Under-15 boys, had successful throws in both the javelin and hammer to add two pbs. He sailed the javelin out to 36.64ms to win the event and took a second place in the hammer with 18.32ms.

Three others took pbs from the field. In the high jump Tom Stewart raised the bar to 1.10ms, Graham Pattle, in the long jump, leapt 4.53ms and brother Chris put the shot 4.85ms.

Maximum points came in the 100m and 200m. James Dore won the A string 100m and in the B string 200m had a pb of 27.9s. Levi Hunt was the A string 200m winner with a pb of 26.3s and Sam Hart won the B string 100m.

In the non-scoring 200m both Graham and Chris Pattle returned pb times of 27.9 and 29.3 respectively. Ramone Kersey was the winner of the 80m hurdles.

Only three Under-13 boys were available. Nathan Hanley had a successful day returning pbs from all three of his events, winning the A string long jump with 4.37ms, being third in the A string 100m in 14.6 and second in the b string 200ms in 32.5.

Shane D'Allesandro was third in the 200m A string in a pb time of 30.00, was the winner of the B string 100m and second in the B string long jump.

It was another second place in the 1500m when Simon Clayton ran his first race for the club in a time of 5.29.7s.