UK Women's League, Scunthorpe, Sunday 4 July 2004

A superb performance from a 14 strong UK Women’s team gave them a well-deserved second place finish in the round 2 fixture of the National League at Scunthorpe last weekend.  Having led the competition for most of the day, the lead was only lost in the final few events to the hosts, Kingston-upon-Hull.  With round 1 winners Cardiff back in fifth place, a second successive runners-up spot now leaves Havering Mayesbrook’s ladies top of the Division 4 table.

There were no A string victories, but with solid performances throughout it enabled B string athletes to shine.  Nina Brennan was in magnificent form with a win double in both B string hurdle races – after equalling her PB in the 400m race, she then set new figures for the 100m hurdles later in the programme.  Nina had been supported by older sister Claire, who had taken fourth place in both A string races.

The only other track win came in the 800m when Laurie Cossey repeated her domination of the B string field, after Sarah Luck had taken second place in the A race.  Good points were also collected from the sprints – with Terri Johnson running back at her best, and recording fifth places in 100m (A) and 200m( A), it enabled Danielle Ross and Sara Luck to take second places in the respective B competitions.  It was the same story in the 1500m – Denise Harris finishing sixth in the A race, whilst training partner Lesley Felton secured second place in the B.  The individual track programme was completed with Laurie Cossey and Lesley Felton, each finishing fourth in the A and B 400m.

The field events produced two more victories.  Sue Deboos not only took the honours in the B pole vault, but her clearance of 2.30m was a 10cm improvement on her PB.  A string colleague Danielle Ross recorded her second runners-up spot of the meeting, equalling her PB.  This A string/B string pattern was repeated in the discus with Lynsey Clark (A) taking second, and Sarah Deacon (B) securing the teams final win of the day.

Second places also came from Somma Power (shot A) and Sarah Deacon (hammer A).  The duo of Lynsey Clark and Hannah Gamester combined well in the triple and long jumps – Lynsey taking third places in the long (B) and triple (A), whilst Hannah finished with a fourth in the long (A), and third in the triple (B) with a new PB of 9.73m.  Further important points were picked up with Sara Luck equal second (high jump A), Victoria Thompson fourth (shot B) and sixth (hammer B), Sue Deboos fifth (high jump B), Sarah Deacon sixth (javelin A) and Claire Brennan fifth (javelin B).

With only the relays remaining the Havering ladies had lost the lead for the first time in the meeting.  Kingston-upon-Hull had taken over the top spot, with Havering Mayesbrook now one point behind, and City of Stoke another two and a half points back in third.  The 4x100m squad of Ross, Johnson, Claire Brennan and Gamester carried the baton safely round to a very good third place, and then Luck, Nina Brennan, Felton and Cossey went one better with second place in the closing 4x400m.  With Kingston-upon-Hull winning both relays, and City of Stoke finishing just behind the Havering squads, the overall positions remained the same.

The ladies now take a two point lead to the final match at Abingdon on the 31^st July, where only another good performance will ensure promotion to Division 3 for 2005.

HAVERING MAYESBROOK RESULTS