DEFENDING champions Sunderland Harriers hope to erase nightmare memories of their last visit to Chester-le-Street when they continue their chase of arch-rivals Morpeth in the fourth DP Furniture Express North-East Harrier League meeting tomorrow.

The Wearsiders, who have dominated the competition over the last two decades - losing the senior men's crown only once in the last 14 years - could only finish fourth in the muddy second fixture at the end of November, allowing the Northumbrians to open up a two-point lead at the top of the Division One table.

Sunderland managed to avenge their defeat in the last meeting at Blaydon, when they turned the tables, but the extent of Morpeth's victory at Chester-le-Street meant they still hold a one-point advantage over the champions.

Now Sunderland must finish ahead of Morpeth - promoted this season as winners of Division Two - in each of the remaining three fixtures to make sure of retaining the prestigious Sisterton Trophy, which has been virtually a permanent fixture in their clubhouse since 1982 when the league spit into three divisions.

Sunderland secretary Les Arnott has again rallied his troops for the tussle at Chester-le-Street after a clear-cut team victory, by 28 points, at Blaydon, where slow-pack runner Malcolm Donkin led the Wearsiders home in second place, the first of six counters in the first 13.

Arnott said: "The lads bounced back magnificently at Blaydon and we know we have to keep on finishing ahead of Morpeth to hang on to the title. We can't afford any more slip-ups."

Sunderland's demise in the second fixture was blamed partly on the counter-attraction of Sunderland's home match against Ipswich - many of the harriers having season tickets at the Stadium of Light - but there is no similar distraction this time.

Arnott has stressed that a good turn out could be the key to success, with slower athletes having a chance of counting for the club in the nine-kilometre handicap race, when slow-pack runners receive five minutes start on the fast-packers.

Morpeth, the recently-crowned national cross country relay champions, are again expecting to be led by defending senior men's individual champion, Terry Wall, who ran the fastest time at Blaydon.

North Shields Polytechnic increased their lead in the women's table over Sunderland with a second victory at Blaydon and will be looking for a repeat of their success at Chester-le-Street in November.

* Three clubs - Richmond and Zetland, Loftus and Hartlepool Burn Road - go into tomorrow's fourth North Yorkshire and South Durham Harrier League fixture at Whitby sharing the lead in the senior men's table, each having 11 points.

Middlesbrough and Cleveland top the women's table with 12 points, one more than Darlington club Quakers, while Scarborough lead in the race for the aggregate trophy with 55 points, five clear of Darlington.

The meeting, at Caedmon School, starts at 1pm.