NEW RECRUIT Nick McCormick spearheaded a fine senior men's victory for Morpeth Harriers in the opening cross country meeting of the season at Farringdon, Sunderland.

The 21-year-old former Tynedale Harrier, who has returned to his native North-East after a brief spell with British Athletics League club Woodford Green, faced a daunting task as he took over on the second leg of the four-man relay in tenth place, a minute down on leaders Durham City.

But McCormick, winner of last month's Hetton Lyons Country Park race, gradually threaded his way through the field over the 1.8-mile circuit to record the fastest time of the afternoon - 9mins 23secs - and hand over a 15-second lead to third-leg runner Daniel Samuels.

The 22-year-old proceeded to extend Morpeth's lead to 1min 11secs with the second fastest run, leaving anchorman Ben Harrison, who just made the race after a traffic jam on the M6 from his home in Cumbria, to complete a comprehensive victory for the Northumbrians, beating second team, Gosforth Harriers, by over three minutes.

Host club Sunderland, who were chasing their 18th victory in 21 years, had to be satisfied with third place, suffering the ignominy of being beaten by their veterans' team, runners up to Durham City in the over-40 section.

Another new club member, Sarah Wilkinson, who has left Manchester club Salford to join Chester-le-Street, was a comfortable winner of the 1.8-mile senior women's race, beating Durham City's Rosie Smith by 38secs. Another Chester-le-Street newcomer, former Scarborough Harrier Maxine Czarnecka, was third.

Results

Senior Men's Relay (4 x 1.8m): 1 Morpeth (A Swinburne 10.40, N McCormick 9.23, D Samuel 9.35, B Harrison 10.19) 39 mins 57 secs; 2 Gosforth (M Nicholson 10.03, D Graham 10.23, P Hutton 10.23, R Curran 12.12) 43.01; 3 Sunderland A (T Field 9.49, P Gibson 11.22, P Emmerson 12.19, M Donkin 10.15) 43.45; 4 Durham City 44.28; 5 Wallsend 45.47. Fastest times: 1 N McCormick 9.23; 2 D Samuel 9.35; 3 S Moralee 9.42.

Veteran Men's Relay (4 x 1.8m): 1 Durham City (S Everett 10.34, R Hand 10.04, I Crampton 10.31, S Marshall 11.32) 42.41; 2 Sunderland 42.59; 3 Wallsend 44.36. Fastest times: 1 T Doughty (Sund) 10.03; 2 R Hand (Dur) 10.04; 3 P Merrison (Walls) 10.10.

Under-17 Men (1.8m): 1 L Timmins (Gos) 10.22; 2 J McCririe (Sund) 10.32; 3 S Watson (Gates) 10.33.

Under-15 Boys (1.8m): 1 J Pearson (Elswick) 10.56; 2 J Cook (Gos) 11.16; 3 J Gibson (Gateshead) 11.24.

Under-13 Boys (1.8m): 1 J Hewitt (Gos) 11.59; 2 K Fairclough (Sund) 12.04; 3 M Crowe (Els) 12.16.

Under-11 Boys (1m): 1 S Younger (Sund) 8.31; 2 J Archer (Sund) 8.50; 3 S Cochrane (Morp) 9.03. Team: Sir John Boste 26 pts.

Senior Women (1.8m): 1 S Wilkinson (Chester-le-Street) 11.05; 2 R Smith (Dur C) 11.43; 3 M Czarnecka (ClS) 12.07; 4 A Hunter (Jarrow & Hebburn) 12.16; 5 L Ranger (Morp) 12.41.

Under-17 Women (1.8m): 1 D James (Morp) 11.59; 2 J Fenwick (Gos) 12.55; 3 C Bellamy (Gos) 13.31.

Under-15 Girls (1.8m): 1 V Angus (Houghton & Peterlee) 12.53; 2 R Adams (Morp) 12.58; 3 N Bellamy (Gos) 13.32.

Under-13 Girls (1.8m) 1 E Spoors (Sund) 13.18; 2 E Campbell (Sund) 13.24; 3 S Goodfellow (Morp) 13.45.

Under-11 Girls (1m): 1 S Bell (Gates) 9.27; 2 E Gibson (Sund) 10.10; 3 Z Mitchie (H&P) 10.15.

* Loftus AC's Steven Hepples slashed more than half a minute off his personal best when he ran 29mins 31secs, finishing eighth overall in yesterday's Inter-Area 10K Road Race Championships in Cardiff.