DEFENDING champions Sunderland Harriers suffered a second consecutive defeat in the penultimate Durham Pine North Eastern Harrier League meeting at Consett - but they are still bang on course to claim their 18th title since 1980.

For although the Wearsiders finished third their biggest rivals, Durham City, could only troop in sixth, extending Sunderland's lead at the top of the senior men's table to five points and they now look certain to retain the trophy in the final fixture at Prudhoe on Saturday. The six mile handicap race was won by Crook, with Wallsend - now two points ahead of Durham in the race for the Division One runners-up prize - in second place.

In near perfect conditions at Berry Edge fast-pack runners, giving away start of up to five minutes, filled three of the first five positions, with Morpeth's Mark Brown, in third place, recording the fastest time, five seconds ahead of Stewy Bell, of Chester-le-Street.

Sunderland team captain Tim Field was a gallant eighth, but the next Wearsider home, in 25th spot was veteran George Harden, and Sunderland, winners of the first three fixtures, were upstaged by Crook and Wallsend.

Durham City were led home by veteran Rob Hand in tenth place, but finished a disappointing sixth.

In the absence of defending champion Claire Smallwood the women's race was won by 45-year-old Wearsider Sheila Allen, who beat Jarrow and Hebburn's Angela Hunter by a comfortable eight seconds, with Phillipa McCrea, of Gateshead, a further ten seconds behind. Durham City had the consolation of winning the team race, thanks to the performances of Carolyn Ratcliff (7th), Debbie Hales (8th) and Louise Trainor (11th), beating North Shields Poly by an emphatic 39 points.

Results - Senior Men (6m handicap): 1 M Wright (Gateshead, Slow Pack + 5 mins) 34 mins 1 sec; 2 J Nunn (Crook, S) 34.58; 3 M Brown (Morpeth, Fast Pack scr) 35.31; 4 S Bell (Chester-le-Street, F) 35.36; 5 R Kay (Morp, F) 35.48; 6 K Archer (Crook, Medium Pack +2 1/2 m) 36.02; 7 D Armstrong (Elswick, S) 36.29; 8 T Field (Sunderland, F) 36.32; 9 K Mackey (South Shields, M) 36.42; 10 R Hand (Durham City, F) 36.49. Fastest times: 1 M Brown 30.31; 2 S Bell 30.36; 3 R Kay 30.48.

Teams - Div One: 1Crook 98; 2 Wallsend 126; 3 Sunderland 143. Div Two: 1 South Shields 95; 2 Alnwick 101; 3 Claremont 117. Div Three: 1 Low Fell 44; 2 Gateshead 80.

Senior Women (3m): 1 S Allen (Houghton and Peterlee) 19.14; 2 A Hunter (Jarrow and Hebburn) 19.22; 3 P McCrea (Gates) 19.32; 4 C Wilson (Morpeth) 19.34; 5 L Hayes (Chester-le-Street) 19.37. Teams: 1 Durham City 26; 2 South Shields 65; 3 Elvet Striders 79.

Paul Welham (New Marske) and Louise Jackson (Richmond and Zetland) clinched the senior championships in yesterday's sixth and final North Yorkshire and South Durham Harrier League meeting at Richmond. Welham was 11th in the men's race, won by Middlesbrough Mandale's Paul Lowe, while Jackson was beaten by Dawn Richardson, of Quakers, but both had sufficient cumulative points to claim the titles.