UK Women's League, Mayesbrook Park, Sunday 6 June 2004

A clean sweep of wins in the throwing events, coupled with excellent results throughout the day, has given Havering Mayesbrook ladies the start to the season they required in their attempt to gain promotion to Division 3.  

They finished second to visitors Cardiff in this first match of a three-match league competition.  The full result was, 1. Cardiff 237, 2. Havering Mayesbrook 215, 3. Belgrave 169.5, 4. Radley 146.5, 5. Kingston Upon Hull 136, 6. Bournemouth 125, 7. City of Stoke 99, 8. Pitreavie (withdrew).

Sarah Deacon led the way with a hat trick of wins in the A string hammer and B string discus and javelin.  Mel Harrison continued the winning streak recording a new discus PB of 41.45m in the A competition, and followed that up by taking the honours in the B shot putt.  With further wins from South of England junior champion Somma Power in the A string shot, and Victoria Thompson in the B string hammer, it was left to multi-eventer Kate Brewington to complete the throws white wash with victory in the A string Javelin.

Earlier in the day Kate had picked up maximum points in the A long jump with a jump of 5.89m, whilst Hannah Gamester took third place in the B event with 5.01m.  Hannah then completed her individual events with a fourth in the B triple jump.  Sue Deboos gained second and fourth respectively in the B string pole vault and high jump.  With newcomers to the UK ranks, Sara Luck third in A high jump, Danielle Ross second in A pole vault, and Kirsty Smith third in A triple jump, it completed an outstanding field performance.

On the track Kate Brewington made it three wins out of three when setting a new PB and club record of 13.7 secs. for the 100m hurdles, beating Lynne Ilott's 30-year-old record in the process.  In the B event, Claire Brennan was also on her way to a flying victory when she hit a hurdle heavily with about 25m to go.  Claire and sister Nina had earlier started the track programme with a fifth and third place respectively in the A and B 400m hurdles.

Laurie Cossey continued her good form by winning the B string 800m.  Thirty minutes later she was back on the track storming to a season’s best time of 59.9 seconds, and second place in the 400m A race.  The versatile Sara Luck took on two more of her heptathlon events recording a third place in the B 200m, and fourth in a high quality 800m A race.

Harriet Scott, another UK League debutant, teamed up with Club captain Debbie Sullivan to take on a very strong field in the 3000m, which included internationals Natalie Lewis from Cardiff, and Emma Ward from Stoke.  Debbie finished in a very respectable 10.12.7 to take fourth place in the A race, whilst Harriet set a new PB of 11.00.6 for third place in the B.  Harriet returned to the track an hour later to finish sixth in the A 1500m, and secured more valuable points.

Solid performances from, Terri Johnson third in B 100m and fourth in A 200m, Hannah Gamester fifth in A 100m, and Lesley Felton fourth in B 400m made sure that the pressure was kept on Cardiff, who had led the competition from the start of the match.

A brilliant day was rounded off with Brewington, Johnson, Claire Brennan and Gamester bringing the baton home in the 4x100m in second place, and Nina Brennan, Felton, Luck and Cossey in fourth place in the 4x400m.  

This Havering performance, and points total, was the best since the ladies returned to the National League in 2002.  The competition now moves to Scunthorpe for the second match on 4^th July.

HAVERING MAYESBROOK RESULTS