effort pays off as seniors finish fourth in premier league match

Superb efforts from a much-weakened squad saw Morpeth Harriers' Senior Men and Women’s Track and Field team, bravely battle their way through to finish fourth in their second round Northern Athletics North East Premier League Match at Shildon 2000 Stadium, on Sunday 18 June.

Both the Men’s and Women’s squads were missing key athletes, however those that did rise to their respective calls from Team Managers Vina Desai (Women), and Tom Innes, Mark Snowball, and George Patterson (Men), were more than willing to step up to the plate throughout the day.

Some even stepped into unfamiliar events in the relentless pursuit of vital points, also many thanks go to the band of members who helped with official duties on the day, including juniors Alexandria and William Hodgson, twin siblings of their competing older sister Victoria, and Father, Trevor.

Competitively, Nisha Desai and Mark Banks put in a hard shift, by tackling as many events as possible.

For the Women’s Team, despite carrying a sometimes-discomforting injury, Desai managed to complete no fewer than seven events, including both relays, and for the Men’s team Mark Banks did likewise.

There was also good input from the club's Under 20 contingents, namely Charlie Lane, Ethan Phillips, and James Tilley for the Men, and Ellie Wickens, Olivia Gent, and U17 Victoria Hodgson for the Women.

Even Team Managers Innes and Snowball joined the party in competition, along with Club Coach Neil McAnany, who competed in the final 4 x 400m Relay.

On to the match itself, and Morpeth had a winner in the very first event, courtesy of Hodgson, who was running a Senior 400m Hurdles for the very first time. She won the A race quite comfortably in 70.15s.

With Nisha Desai carrying an injury, unfortunately she was unable to take part in one of her favoured events as B Race support.

Mark Banks had two B Race wins in the 800m (2m12.21s), and 1500m (4m19.80s), as well as finishing second in the A String High Jump (1.65m). He also finished fourth in the B String 200m 29.47s, where Charlie Lane finished third in the A Race in 24.21s. Lane also finished a good second in the B Race of the 400m in 53.16s, in support to Ethan Phillips finishing third I the A Race in 53.77s.

Earlier, Phillips had finished second in the A Race of the 800m, posting a time of 1m57.76s, which was a performance boosting personal best for the Under 20 athlete. Another good Under 20 performer on the track was James Tilley, who was second in the 1500m in 4m14.37s, being very ably supported by Banks taking the B Race.

The hardworking Banks also took on the longest race of the day in the 5000m, finishing as fourth in the B event (20m34.17s), as good support to Mark Snowball’s fifth in the A Race in 18m50.69s.

Snowball had earlier finished fourth in the 400m Hurdles in 74.38s, one of seven events that he tackled in all.

Unfortunately, injury had reduced Morpeth Men to only one recognised short sprinter, but Over 50 Veteran Trevor Hodgson competed well on his promotion to the 100m A Race by finishing third in 11.83s, having run at the previous day's Masters Championships.

Hodgson also stepped up to compete in the Shot Putt, and finished fifth in the A String, Putting a best of 7.81m.

Team Manager Innes putted 5.65m for sixth in the B String.

Innes certainly played a significant role in the Morpeth Field event challenge, by also taking part in the Long Jump, Triple Jump, Discus, and Javelin events, along with the 4 x 400m Relay, which meant that he competed in no less than six events on the day.

In the B String Long Jump, he finished fourth with 3.81m, and Mark Snowball produced 4.16m for sixth in the A String. Innes finished fifth in the A String of the Triple Jump with 7.34m, with again Snowball partnering him, finishing fourth in the B String with 7.15m.

The pair met up again in the Discus, where Innes finished sixth in the A String (14.83m), with Snowball getting sixth in the B String with a best of 12.72m.

Innes and Snowball continued their quest for points in the Javelin, finishing fifth and fourth respectively in the A and B competitions, with bests of 22.20m and 16.43m.

In the Men’s 4 x 100m Relay, Morpeth finished third, courtesy of Charlie Lane, Trevor Hodgson, Mark Banks, and Mark Snowball, who combined to post a time of 49.40s.

Mark Banks, Neil McAnany, Charlie Lane, and Tom Innes combined to bring Morpeth Men home in fourth place in 4m14.34s.

Victoria Hodgson followed up her 400m Hurdles win with a second place in the 100m A Race in 13.37s, and Ellie Wickens finished second in the B Race in 14.06s. Wickens also finished second in the 200m A Race in 28.49s, being well backed up by Nisha Desai in the B Race finishing second in 27.59s.

Tayla Douglass and Desai also combined well in the Women’s 400m and 800m events. Douglass finished third in the A Race of the 400m in 77.95s, and fourth in the A Race of the 800m in 2m49.62s. Desai won both B Races in respective times of 63.0s, and 2m35.57s.

Lizzie Rank finished second in the 1500m in 5m18.45s. Julie Vermaas finished fourth in the 3000m in 12m31.05s.

Morpeth Under 20 Woman Olivia Gent, who began her career at the club under the guidance of her Coach and Team Manager Vina Desai, worked her socks off in the Field events.
She competed in no less than four of them, one of them alongside Vina.

Her best result came in the Javelin B String, which she won, supporting Nisha Desai, who finished fourth in the A String. Desai threw 19.19m, and Gent won with a best of 16.94m. Gent finished fourth in the A String Long Jump with a best of 4.17m, and second in the B String Triple Jump with 9.11m.

Ellie Wickens placed third in the A String with a slightly better 9.13m. Gent also finished fifth in the A String Shot Putt with 5.76m, and Vina Desai was sixth in the B String with 4.68m. Vina Desai was fifth in the B String Discus with 11.77m, supporting Ellie Wickens fifth place in the A String with 16.15m.

It was a Desai family effort in the Hammer, with Vina finishing sixth in the A String with a best throw of 15.03m, and daughter Nisha weighed in with 13.86m for fourth in the B String.

Morpeth finished second in the Women’s 4 x 100m in 53.76s, courtesy of Nisha Desai, Ellie Wickens, Olivia Gent, and Victoria Hodgson.

Taylor Douglass, Victoria Hodgson, Julie Vermaas, and Nisha Desai brought the Morpeth Women’s 4 x 400m squad home in third place, posting a combined time of 5m00.11s.

At the end of a hard day’s work, the Morpeth team can feel well pleased that their combined efforts gave them fourth team place, only a mere ten points adrift of third placed New Marske, but well adrift of first and second placed Gateshead Harriers, and Darlington.

The combined squad of Chester Le Street/Durham City, and North Shields Poly were fifth and sixth.

It is hoped that the Morpeth squad will be stronger for the third and penultimate fixture at Middlesbrough on Sunday 9 July.

FINAL MATCH RESULT
1st Gateshead Harriers 418pts, 2nd Darlington Harriers 400pts, 3rd New Marske Harriers 292pts, 4th Morpeth Harriers 282pts, 5th Chester Le Street/Durham City 242pts, 6th North Shields Poly 186pts.
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CURRENT LEAGUE POSITIONS AFTER TWO MATCHES
1st Gateshead Harriers (770.5pts) 12pts, 2nd Darlington Harriers (725pts) 10pts, 3rd New Marske Harriers (610pts) 7pts, 4th Morpeth Harriers (607pts) 7pts, 5th Chester Le Street/Durham City (546.5pts) 4pts, 6th North Shields Poly (399pts) 2pts.