There were team victories for the U13 & U15 girls, and U17 men on another good day for club teams in treacherous conditions at the third round of the Essex Cross Country League at Hockley on Saturday.

The U13 Girls certainly got the worst of the weather, battling against strong winds and intermittent torrential rain, but as usual they excelled to make it three wins in three rounds, coming home by a massive 29 point margin.  Eleanor Bounds and Rebecca O'Neill raced it out from the start, with Eleanor pulling away to finish 2nd with Rebecca in 3rd. The winning quartet all finished in top 10 placings, as Rachel Sadler and Becky Stanley fought hard all the way to finish 7th and 9th. The strength of the HMAC team saw seven other finishers with Amanda Blaxland 19^th, Nicola Peachey 21^st, Jessica Seekings 22^nd, Avril Loynes 28^th, Deborah Knight 30^th, Sharmila Golan 31^st and debutant Shannon Thompson 37^th completing the 11 strong team.

Jennifer Holland continued her good form and was again an impressive runner up for  the U15 Girls. Sidnie Sales in 4th was only 3 seconds off a top 3 spot and Zoey Littlechild fought hard and was rewarded with a top 10 finish in 9th. But it was Michelle Lovell's all-important 29th place that brought team success by two points to notch their third victory of the season to top the table.

The U17 Men also finished four in the first 10 as Matt Bloy was again third, with Rob Jones in 5th, just ahead of Daniel Winters in 6th, and Michael Donavan 9th. Josh Dunne (18th) and the returning Steve MacLachan (24th) completed the club contingent. The team lead Colchester by one point in the league standings.

Team manager Peter Warner and middle distance coach Warren Roe were delighted by the strong showing by the senior men which brought them second place as five athletes made the top 20. Trevor Keys vied for the lead on the first lap and although dropping back on the second slippery lap held on for fifth. Rob Warner worked through the field to just pip a strong running Glen Hill to come home in 12^th and 13^th. Matt Bland continued his fine form in 17^th just in front of newcomer to the Essex League Steve Rand in 19^th. Martin Chester's 40th place completed the scoring team. Thirteen Havering Mayesbrook runners completed the treacherous course.  The fine result took the team to second in the table.

With each race the course became more difficult underfoot but the U17 Women coped well with the conditions to finish in runners up spot. Georgie Sales (5th) and Christina Holland (9th) battled their way into top 10 positions, and they were supported well as Ingrid Deane (17th) and Alex Beard (19th) ensured the team's placing, and Becky Owen (19th & Felicity Scott (21st) completed the finishers. The all U17 team trail Basildon buy one point in the U17/U20 league table.

The U15 boys were third in a tight team finish with Daniel Shanney, having his best  run of the season in 8^th, and the consistent Mike Jones in 9th making the top 10 home. Callum Sutton (17th) and Simon Brown (24th) completed the scoring quartet, with Louis Ball (26th), Alex Playell (32nd)and Callum Hockley (36th) completing the club finishers..

Illness and unavailability meant that the senior women had an incomplete team and only birthday girl Linda Smith (47th) and newcomer Angela Thompson (49th) flew the flag on a slippery course under by-now sunny skies on  a changeable day.

The U13 boys were similarly short-handed when three team members got stuck in traffic. Tyler Bennett (25th), Jonathan Seekings (26th) and Andrew Holland (33rd) were the three U13s to beat the jams.

Link to full results & League Table                                                    

Under 13 Girls: 2nd - Eleanor Bounds 11:18; 3rd -  Rebecca O'Neill 11:25; 7th - Rachel Sadler 12:00; 9th Becky Stanley 12:26 (Team 1st - 21 pts) 19th - Amanda Blaxland 12:46;  21st - Nicola Peachey 12:52; 22nd - Jessica Seekings 12:59; 28th - Avril Loynes 13:35;  30th - Deborah Knight 13:49; 31st - Sharmila Golan 13:50; 37th - Shannon Thompson 18:52

Team: 1. HMAC - 21; 2. Basildon - 50; 3. Orion 58

Under 15 Girls: 2nd - Jennifer Holland 15:43; 4th - Sidnie Sales 16:13; 9th - Zoey Littlechild 17:05;  29th - Michelle Lovell  20:45; (Team 1st - 44 pts)

Team: 1. HMAC - 44; 3. Basildon - 46; 3. Chelmsford 47

Under 17 Girls/ under 20 women:  5th - Georgie Sales 18:39; 9th Christina Holland 19:45; 12th - Ingrid Deane 19:59; 17th - Alex Beard 20:48 (Team 2nd - 43 pts) 19th - Becky Owen 21:46; 21st - Felicity Scott 22:42

Team: 1. Basildon - 21. 2. HMAC - 43; 3. Chelmsford

Senior Women: 47th - Linda Smith 34:27; 49th - Angela Thompson 34:42 (Team 14th) 

Team: 1. Chelmsford - 19; 3. Basildon 57; 3. Colchester & T - 58;  ... 14th - HMAC - 96 (2).

Under 13 Boys: 25th - Tyler Bennett 14:17; 26th - Jonathan Seekings 14:25; 33rd - Andrew Holland 16:25  (Team 7th- 84 (20 pts)

Team: 1. Southend 32; 2. Chelmsford 42; 3. Basildon 46; ...7. HMAC - 

Under 15 Boys:  8th - Daniel Shanney 16.36; 9th - Michael Jones 16:28;17th - Callum Sutton 17:13; 24th - Simon Brown 17:52; (Team 3rd - 58 points) 26th - Louis Ball - 18:29; 32th - Alex Playell 19:25; 36th - Callum Hockley 22:22

Team: 1. Basildon 52; 2. Orion 56; 3. HMAC - 58 

Under 17 Boys:  3rd - Matt Bloy 23:26; 5th - Rob Jones 23:39; 6th -Daniel Winters 23:50; 10th - Michael Donovan 24:37 (Team 1st - 24 pts) 18th - Josh Dunne - 26:03;  24th - Steve Maclachlan 27:29

Team: 1. HMAC - 24; 2. Colchester & T - 28; 3. Southend 50

Senior Men: 5th - Trevor Keys 28:17; 12th - Rob Warner 28:59; 13th - Glen Hill 29:03; 17th - Matt Bland 29:38; 19th - Steve Rand 29:43; 40th - Martin Chester 31:34; (Team 2nd - 106 pts) 42nd - Graham Hogan 31:42;  43rd - Ian Anthony 31:44; 31st - Neill Collins 33:07; 74th - Tony Collins 34:29;75th - Graham Pritchard 34:33; 111th - Roger Winston 39:50; 117th - Kevin White 41:09

Team: 1. Chelmsford 91; 3. HMAC - 106; 3. Colchester H 163