KELSEY TAKES TOP McDONALD'S AWARD

Missing a number of regulars and totally against expectations, Havering Mayesbrook AC's under-17 boys' team achieved a magnificent second place in their opening McDonald's Southern Premier League match at Bromley, Kent on Sunday. Only Crawley proved too good for the local Club with Milton Keynes in third place and Belgrave in fourth.

The track 'man-of-the-match' award went to Matthew Kelsey for his eye-catching 23.5sec Grade 1 winning performance in the under-15 boys' 200m. Kelsey later doubled-up in the 100m and together with Bob Thanda, Mark Connelly and Andrew Day won the 4x100m relay.

In the same age group, there were other impressive winning performances including Thanda in the 400m, Terry O'Leary in the 80m Hurdles and 'B' string Shot, Connelly in the High Jump, Peter Philip in the 'B' 400m and Joe Wilson in the 'B' 80m Hurdles. Finally in this age group, Thanda, Philip, and O'Leary were joined by Danny Skelt to take the 4x400m relay in emphatic style.

For the u-17s, newcomer Andy Green took the 200m with a Grade 2 performance and was just touched off in the 100m. The u-17 field athletes were in fine form with Tom Melrose and Kevin Deacon doubling-up in the Shot, Deacon and Andrew Tierney doing likewise in the Hammer and Melrose and Tierney doing the same in the Discus.

In the final event of the day, the u-17 4x400m squad consisting of Tierney, Stuart Eve, Mark Gardiner and Sydney Zitisi were successful.

In the youngest age group, David Nefs made his debut on his 12th birthday with wins in the 100m and 200m. In additon, together with Paul Andrews, Andrew Luck and Martyn Chambers, he helped the 4x100m quartet to victory.

Despite this encouraging start, team manager Doug Tierney will be hoping for a stronger squad for the next McDonald's meeting on May 21 when the opposition includes Enfield, Basildon and Woking.

In the meantime, the combined girls' and boys' u-17 team begin their Eastern Young Athletes League campaign at Southend on Sunday when they will be bidding for their fifth League title in successive years.