Athletics

The 21-year-old Morpeth Harrier, who moved back to the region this year after a spell with London club Woodford Green, rallied after being passed by former senior men's champion Stewy Bell on the third and final lap of the 5.7-mile handicap race to regain the lead and finish a comfortable nine seconds ahead of his rival.

Rain-soaked spectators on the exposed, wind-swept course, feared that the former Northern 3,000m junior track champion might not make the distance, but McCormick proved he possessed the necessary stamina to overhaul the experienced former Great Britain international.

"I knew that the distance wouldn't be a problem - I've competed in longer races before," said McCormick, who led Morpeth to a relay victory on the same Farringdon course in October.

"This time the course was very muddy in places and it was a harder test for me."

McCormick, however, has decided not to run in the North-East championships at Darlington a week on Saturday and won't be a regular fast-pack runner in the Harrier League races, having decided to concentrate his efforts on shorter races.

McCormick finished 15th overall after giving away five minutes start to the slow pack runners. North Shields Polytechnic teenager Ryan Stephenson took full advantage of the start to win by exactly a minute from another slow-pack runner, Elswick's Ian Waterhouse.

There was an upset in the senior men's team race when defending champions Sunderland, who'd scored an easy victory in the opening fixture at Meadowfield, were beaten by Durham City.

The Wearsiders, however, were without half a dozen of their regulars, who had travelled to Barcelona to participate in team captain Tim Field's stag night.

Newcomer Alison Dargie, who has joined Elswick Harriers from Aberdeen, was a comfortable winner of the women's race. The 28-year-old Tyneside journalist, who has only been running competitively for a year, had a ten seconds advantage over Elvet Strider's Donna James.

James had the consolation of leading the Durham City club to team victory, one point ahead of the Tynesiders.

Results: Senior Men (5.7m): 1 R Stephenson (North Shields Poly, Slow Pack +5 mins) 30 mins 27 secs; 2 I Waterhouse (Elswick, SP) 31.27; 3 G Driscoll (Morpeth, SP) 31.55. Fastest times: 1 N McCormick (Morpeth, Fast Pack scr) 28.58; 2 S Bell (Chester-le-Street, FP) 29.07; 3 T Wall (Morp FP) 29.15, Teams - Div 1: 1 Durham City 88; 2 Sunderland 149; 3 Blaydon 155. Div 2: 1 Morpeth 26; 2 Sunderland Strollers 121; 3 Tynedale 51. Div 3: 1 Chester-le-Street 33; 2 Aurora 91.

Under-17 Men (3.8m): 1 R Floyd (Morp SP +2.40) 20.36; 2 S Hall (Gateshead, SP) 21.38; 3 J Martin (Sunderland) 21.46. Fastest time: L Timmins (Gosforth) 20.18. Team: 1 Morpeth 16.

Under-15 Boys (1.9m): 1 R Cunningham (Birtley, SP +1.20); 2 P Graham (Blackhill, SP) 11.22; 3 J Pearson (Elswick, FP) 11.38. Fastest time: J Pearson 10.18. Team: 1 Gateshead 18.

Under-13 Boys (1.9m): 1 C Watson (Elswick, SP +1.20) 10.33; 2 D Purvis (Sund, SP) 11.12; 3 K Chirnside (Blackhill, SP 11.23. Fastest time: C Bell (Chester-le-Street) 10.30. Team: 1 Sunderland 11.

Senior Women (3.8m): 1 A Dargie (Elswick, SP +3 mins) 22.59; 2 D James (Elvet, SP) 23.09; 3 M Holt (Sund, SP) 23.54. Fastest time: A Dargie 22.59. Teams: 1 Elvet Striders 38; 2 Elswick 39; 3 North Shields Poly 48.

Under-17/20 Women (2.8m): 1 S Crowe (Elswick, SP +2.45) 23.41; 2 S Evans U20 (Jarrow & Hebburn, SP) 25.07; 3 N Dawson (Morp, SP) 26.03. Fastest time: S Crowe 23.41. Team: Morpeth 15.

Under-15 Girls (1.9m): 1 L Dixon (Morp, SP +2 mins) 11.34; 2 S Coleby (Durham City, SP) 11.35; 3 L Wright (Gates, SP) 11.39. Fastest time: L Dixon 11.34. Team: Morpeth 13.

Under-13 Girls (1.9m): 1 S Goodfellow (Morp, SP +1.35) 11.55; 2 D Clarke (Blackhill, SP) 11.58; 3 Z Dixon (Birtley, SP) 12.22. Fastest time: C Fletcher (Gates) 11.47. Team: Morpeth 29.