MORPETH Harrier Martin Scaife was only five seconds away from his own course record when he won yesterday's big Darlington 10K for the fourth time in five years.

The 33-year-old supermarket manager only decided to run in his home town race 24 hours beforehand after a testing training run.

But he devastated the opposition, leading from the gun and parting company with the challenging Sunderland Harrier Mark Hood - a former North-East 10K champion - after three kilometres.

From then on it was a race against the clock for Scaife, chasing the special £100 bonus for beating the record of 30 mins 21 secs he set in 2002. But after passing the halfway mark in 15.12 following a rapid 2.07 kilometre Scaife fought a losing battle against the blustery win, crossing the finish line on High Row in 30 mins 26 secs - nearly two minutes ahead of his nearest rival.

"It is very frustrating to come within five seconds of the record," admitted Scaife.

"But it was very windy in the second half of the race and I had no-one pushing me.

"When I set the course record in 2002 I had a ding-dong battle with Stewy Bell and that made all the difference.

"Never mind, I gave it a go and it was my first race for a couple of months."

He added: "I still think it is a sub-30 minutes 10K course if the right lads are there."

Hood, just back from a holiday in the Dominican Republic, faded dramatically in the second half of the race, finishing seventh, and the runner-up prize went to Richmond and Zetland veteran Jon Orange, who clocked 32.17.

Former women's winner Bernadette Taylor also fancied a tilt at the women's record of 35 mins 49 secs, but the Darlington Harrier was over a minute short of the £100 prize as she crossed the line in 37.09.

The reigning North-East cross country and half marathon champion said: "My personal-best is 35.56 so I thought the record was within my reach.

"But I ran a 3000m track race a few days ago and I think that was still in my legs - I just didn't feel right.

"But I've had a brilliant year and I'm just pleased to have won and to have kept injury-free."

Like Scaife, Taylor led her club to victory in the team race.

Results - Men: 1 M Scaife (Morpeth) 30 mins 26 secs; 2 J Orange (Richmond & Zetland M40) 32.17; 3 T Wall (Morp) 32.30; 4 R Hunt (R&Z) 32.34; 5 J Archer (Low Fell) 32.38; 6 A Shepherd (Morp) 32.49; 7 M Hood (Sunderland) 33.07; 8 P Best (Shildon) 33.08; 9 S Potts (Sund) 33.09; 10 M Grainger (Darlington M40) 33.11; 11 A Chadfield (Billingham Marsh House) 33.49; 12 T Wilks (Leeds City) 33.56; 13 V Brudenell (North York Moors) 34.19; 14 M Jeffries (BMH) 34.32; 15L Moses (Newton Aycliffe) 34.41. M45 B Bingham (Loftus) 34.42; M50 S Lawley (Unatt) 36.00; M55 A Ward (Swaledale) 37.22; M60 H Jackson (Unatt) 39.12. Teams: 1 Sunderland 10 pts; 2 Richmond & Zetland 41; 3 Billingham Marsh House 48.

Women: 1 B Taylor (Darl) 37.09; 2 D Richardson (Quakers) 38.56; 3 A Watson (Chester-le-Street) 39.23; 4 L Noble (Sund) 39.27; 5 A Raw (Darl W40) 39.28; 6 R Adams (Morp) 39.50; 7 A Woodvine (R&Z) 40.21; 8 J Atkinson (NA W35)40.42. W45 F Shenton (Elvet Striders) 40.58; W55 M Lyonette (Unatt) 46.30. Teams: 1 Darlington 20; 2 Sunderland 45; 3 Quakers 47.