CROSS COUNTRY: Hosts Ipswich Jaffa clinched victory at the second McNeil Intersport Cross Country League meeting of the season, staged at a wet and windswept Landseer Park on Sunday.

CROSS COUNTRY

HOSTS Ipswich Jaffa clinched victory at the second McNeil Intersport Cross Country League meeting of the season, staged at a wet and windswept Landseer Park on Sunday.

Springfield Striders had the distinction of providing the two individual race winners, but it was Jaffa who had more strength in depth.

Paul Dobson won the race, over a twisting, undulating course, while his club-mate Tracey Apps made it a Springfield double by clinching the ladies' title.

There was an outstanding run from Clacton-based Richard Skuse, a member of Colchester and Tendring. He finished third to Dobson, just behind Grange Farm Trotters' R Turner.

Triathlete Tom Cudmore showed his all-round ability by finishing fourth in the colours of Colchester Harriers, just ahead of Jaffa's first scorer David Laing.

Colchester & Tendring AC fared best behind Apps in the ladies' event. Sarah Stradling looked very strong in second place, with Megan Hughes, from Brightlingsea, not far adrift in fifth.

Lynn Tanner shook off her tiredness from the previous day's race in the Essex League to finish sixth, while club-mate Nicola Rogers, from Braintree, crossed the line in seventh.

Further up the field, Colchester Harriers' Annette Mussett was third and experienced Ipswich runner Val Jennings filled fourth spot.

In the final analysis, Jaffa finished second to Colchester Harriers in the men's team standings, and second to Colchester and Tendring in the ladies' event, which was enough to hand them an overall victory by 40 points from Springfield.

Jaffa and Springfield are now locked together on 21 points after two of six meetings.

Meanwhile, Colchester & Tendring AC featured highly in the supporting junior race with 10-year-old Andrew Blackman recording a fine win in the under-13 category.

The Great Bentley youngster overtook several older runners over the final few 100 metres to finish fourth overall.

Older brother Robert Blackman, 15, topped the under-16 section and won the race overall, a good achievement given that he had raced the previous day. Jenny Gillin made it a hat-trick of wins for Colchester & Tendring when she finished first girl. She led the under-16 section.

Meanwhile, Peter Scott, from Witham, had his first race after five months of injury and can be pleased with his fifth place finish.

Results from Ipswich

Top 30 men: 1 P Dobson (Springfield Striders); 2 R Turner (Grange Farm Trotters); 3 R Skuse (Colchester & Tendring); 4 T Cudmore (Colchester Harriers); 5 D Laing (Ipswich Jaffa); 6 G Knott (Harwich); 7 A Smalls (Col/Harr); 8 D Walker (Col/Tend); 9 P Pearce (Gt Bentley); 10 R Jordan (Jaffa).

11 R Young (Col/Tend); 12 B Matthews (Mid-Essex Casuals); 13 G Doel (Col/Harr); 14 D Brown (Col/Harr); 15 J Green (Tiptree RR); 16 V Spain (Springfield); 17 T Back (Jaffa); 18 R Goodridge (Col/Harr); 19 D Wright (Col/Harr); 20 B Rogers (Jaffa).

21 P McClelland (Harwich); 22 R Smith (Col/Tend); 23 J Cottis (Gt Bentley); 24 S MacSepheney (Jaffa); 25 M Raine (Jaffa); 26 L Broadbridge (Springfield); 27 N Hazell (Col/Harr); 28 A Mason (Springfield); 29 S Wolton (Halstead); 30 D English (Halstead).

Top 30 ladies: 1 T Apps (Springfield); 2 S Stradling (Colchester & Tendring); 3 A Mussett (Col/Harr); 4 V Jennings (Jaffa); 5 M Hughes (Col/Tend); 6 L Tanner (Col/Tend); 7 N Rogers (Col/Tend); 8 S Feldman (Grange Farm Trotters); 9 K Snowling (Harwich); 10 W Carter (Halstead RR).

11 H Bloomfield (Col/Tend); 12 L Turk (Springfield); 13 M van Looy (Gt Bentley); 14 M Constable (Jaffa); 15 M Sturgeon (Grange Farm); 16 J Basham (Halstead); 17 L Westcott (Gt Bentley); 18 B Smith (Jaffa); 19 T Corbett (Grange Farm); 20 J Haselwood (Jaffa).

21 P Bolton (Gt Bentley); 22 R Richardson-Wright (Col/Harr); 23 S Strivens (Jaffa); 24 J Hill (Springfield); 25 J Yallop (Jaffa); 26 J Pringle (Witham); 27 E Knott (Harwich); 28 K Rowntree (Grange Farm); 29 N Bennett (Gt Bentley); 30 M Robinson (Gt Bentley).

Men's teams: 1 Col/Harr 102pts; 2 Jaffa 136; 3 Springfield 175; 4 Col/Tend 227; 5 Tiptree 366; 6 Harwich 393; 7 Gt Bentley 406; 8 Halstead RR 409; 9 Grange Farm 423; 10 Witham 610; 11 Mid-Essex Casuals 903.

Ladies' teams: 1 Col/Tend 13pts; 2 Jaffa 36; 3 Springfield 37; 4 Grange Faram 42; 5 Gt Bentley 51; 6 Halstead 60; 7 Harwich 71; 8 Witham 103; 9 Col/Harr 209; 10 Tiptree 257; 11 Mid-Essex Casuals 552.

Combined teams: 1 Jaffa 172pts; 2 Springfield 212; 3 Col/Tend 240; 4 Col/Harr 311; 5 Gt Bentley 457; 6 Harwich 464; 7 Grange Farm 465; 8 Halstead RR 469; 9 Tiptree RR 623; 10 Witham RC 713; 11 Mid-Essex Casuals 1,455.

Overall league standings (after two of six meetings):

Pool A: 1= Jaffa & Springfield 21; 3 Col/Harr 17; 4 Harwich 12; 5 Col/Tend 10.

Pool B: 1= Halstead, Gt Bentley & Grange Farm 12pts; 4 Tiptree RR 7; 5 Witham RC 5; 6 Mid-Essex Casuals 3.