Morpeth Harriers left to rue cancelled event as league title eludes them

Scheduled to be held at Druridge Bay on Sunday, the fixture had already been rearranged once from last October, but the authorities at the country park pulled the plug on the event early on Monday, citing wet ground earmarked for parking as the principal cause – although with four days of the year’s best weather so far then ensuing, the decision to many seemed premature.

The cancellation meant that for the second year running the popular league has only been able to hold four of the planned six fixtures, which must be a source of great concern to organisers, as they continue to struggle to find suitable venues, with car parking for several hundred cars on soggy ground invariably the biggest issue.

It was certainly a source of bitter disappointment to Morpeth Harriers, who missed out on the chance to retain the Senior Men’s title which they had won for the previous three years.

Only a point behind leaders and eventual winners Durham City Harriers, the omens were certainly good for the Druridge Bay race, with a strong squad only needing to finish one place ahead of their rivals – who looked to have run out of steam at the Alnwick fixture – to retain the trophy.

Sadly, the cancellation meant this was not to be, and though second place is still a decent result in what has been a rollercoaster season, a frustrated team will be left looking back at what might have been.

The club’s Senior Women finished one place further back in their overall table, finishing in third place behind winners Sunderland Harriers and second place Jesmond Joggers.

After three second place finishes in the previous three years, the title last won in season 2017-28 continues to narrowly elude a talented squad very dependent on getting all of their Fast Pack runners to turn out.

Individually, there was some consolation, however, with the redoubtable Jane Hodgson once again retaining her individual Veteran Women’s title and Ian Armstrong finishing third in the Veteran Men’s.

Best placed of the younger teams for Morpeth were their Under-13 Girls, invariably led by Heidi Wilkinson, second overall in the individual Grand Prix table, her team finishing in third place overall behind Elswick and Wallsend Harriers, with their U13 Boys back in eighth.

The club’s U17 Boys were sixth overall and their U17 Girls fourth, although it should be noted that the Young Athlete results were badly affected by at least one fixture being scheduled very close to major Schools Cross Country events.