DEFENDING champions Sunderland Harriers, running away with the Start Fitness North-East Harrier League title, are looking for a grand slam of senior men's victories as the competition reaches the penultimate stage at Consett today.

Last year the Wearsiders, who have won the Sisterton Trophy 19 times since the League was split into three divisions in 1980, were made to fight all the way to retain the prize, beating arch-rivals Morpeth Harriers on countback in the final fixture at Blaydon.

But this season Morpeth, hit by injuries and the absence of their top athletes, have not posted a serious challenge and could only finish a disappointing sixth in last month's fourth fixture at Wrekenton.

Sunderland, who crowned their Centenary year by winning the North-East Championship in December, have a maximum four points from four races.

They are now in a virtually unassailable position at the head of Division One and have set themselves the challenging target of winning all six fixtures.

Club secretary Les Arnott said: "We are delighted to have won the opening four senior men's races and it would be a real feather in our caps if we could retain the trophy by winning all six fixtures."

Sunderland are also very much in the running to win the senior men's individual title, with Steven Potts, who took the bronze medal in last weekend's North-East Half Marathon Championships at Redcar, heading the table.

Potts was 19th at Wrekenton, giving away a start of up to five minutes in the handicap event, and clocked the best time from the fast pack. His main rival, previous winner Stewy Bell, of Chester-le-Street, was hampered by a cold and finished uncharacteristically down the field in 52nd place.

But with the best four runs of six to count, the race for the title could go to the final meeting, which has been switched from Prudhoe to Blaydon, on Saturday, April 1.

The limit of 4,000 runners for the Blaydon Race on Friday, June 9, has been reached, just three weeks after entries opened.