The Havering Mayesbrook UKWAL team started their return to their highest Level after a 25-year absence in competing in National League Div 2 in a sunny Wigan. The day started off with a team huddle and a new item introduced by team manager Pat Gahagan 'The Pat Chat' which certainly got Kate Brewington's mum fired up but we are not sure about the athletes. In spite of the unavailability of a number of athletes due to Exams and injury the team showed an amazing togetherness and camaraderie which drew out a number of excellent performance from athletes across all events.

With the first three events of the day in the Hammer Mel Harrison started the day with another solid performance and the Pole vault Duo of Hannah Gamester and Danielle Ross gave strong performances in finishing 5th and 2nd accordingly and our Long jump duo of the Clark Sisters saw Lynsey Clark achieving the first of her two personal bests in the afternoon.

The track programme started with 400 hurdles with Cloe Van Wulven setting a personal best in finishing 5th with the second fastest ever time by a club female and Clair Brennan with a season’s best, finishing an excellent 3rd.

Faye Fullerton followed with the first of an amazing three track events in an hour with an excellent 2nd in 800 metres supported by Laurie Cooper’s 5th place. Faye followed this 40 mins later with a strong B string 400m finishing 5^th in which she supported Lauren Clarke who continued her improvements over 400 with an excellent 7th . After a 10 min rest Faye then ran away with the 3km winning by 100m and was supported by the ever improving Robyn Matson who also won the B string in a lifetime best giving the club their first maximum points.

In the high Jump Chloe Van Wulven produced another excellent performance gaining 3rd and backed up by Emma Christmas 7th who were guided at trackside by a very vocal coach Kate Brewington. The pole vault duo of Hannah Gamester and Danielle Ross stepped in at the last moment to cover the 100m gaining a point each whilst back in the field Mel Harrison produced another strong performance in the discus for 4th and Lynsey Clark continued an excellent day with a 1st the Bb. This was more notable as Lynsey was going between the Discus and the triple jump in which she finished 2nd in a new PB, supported by Hannah Gamester with a good 3rd.

The final batch of track events saw Chloe Van Wulven and Claire Brennan ran excellent 100m hurdles with 6th and 3^rd. Chloe’s time was her fastest for two year’s and Claire’s was a legal PB.  Athletes helping out in the 1500 Laurie Cooper and Lesley Felton digging in to obtain 7th and 6th places. Claire Brennan and Lauren Clark filled in for the points in the 200.

We finished on a high in the field events with Louise Mathews setting a new Club record in the Javelin to win with her final round throw and Emma Christmas following with an excellent 2nd place . This was alongside the Shot which saw the good afternoon’s work completed by Mel Harrison’s 4th and team Captain Kate Brewington winning the B string well.

The overall performance of 5th was excellent with the other teams above being easily in reach throughout the match.

The whole team of athletes, coaches, officials and supporters made the first fixture a great success.