WYE Valley runners registered a narrow one-point victory over arch rivals Hereford Couriers to consolidate their lead in the third race of the Herefordshire Summer Off-Road League.

The race was run at Shobdon, courtesy of Corbett Farms Ltd, over a varied and testing two-lap course including sections of road, parkland, woodland and field margins.

Couriers' Tim Clarke produced an emphatic performance to record his first league win of the season. Clarke ran side by side with team-mate Matt James for the first lap, but he broke away on the downhill section at the start of the second lap and sustained his pace to open up a big lead to finally win by 40 seconds.

This sets up an interesting duel for the individual league title, with James having recorded two previous victories. Bill Lloyd in sixth and Alison Cooke in 29th completed the Couriers team with a total of 38 points.

Wye Valley Runners, however, bettered this by a single point with consistent veteran John Pullen running strongly to chalk up his first top-three placing of the season and Chelsea Smith delivering a decisive and impressive display to finish first female in 18th overall. Smith's commanding show made all the difference in the team event, in which teams comprise three men and one woman, accompanied by Luke Mason in fifth and Mark Davies 11th. This narrow win gives Wye Valley a 12-point lead going into the final event.

Ludlow Runners produced their best performance of the season with a best-ever league placing from Simon Norwood in fourth, Martin Callaghan 13th, Russell Mapp 25th and Penny Priest in 28th. Other good runs in the veteran categories came from Max Suff in seventh place and first over-45, Bill Layton in 15th was first over-50, Steve Herington in 14th first over-55, Gary Gunner in 44th first over-60 and Harry Franklin in 46th was first over-70.

The final race in the four- race series will take place at Westhope on Wednesday, August 22, starting at 7.30pm.

Results: 1 Tim Clarke (Hereford Couriers) 31.13, 2 Matt James (HC) 31.53, 3 John Pullen (Wye Valley Runners) 32.48, 4 Simon Norwood (Ludlow Runners) 33.15, 5 Luke Mason (WVR) 33.25, 6 Bill Lloyd (HC) 33.35, 7 Max Suff (HC) 34.14, 8 Andy Taylor (Hereford Triathlon Club) 34.41, 9 Mark Paviour (Presteigne Pacers) 34.55, 10 Dave Williams (HC) 35.08.

Teams: 1 Wye Valley Runners 37pts (total 123), 2 Hereford Couriers 38 (135), 3 Hereford Couriers B 69 (226), 4 Ludlow Runners 70 (367), 5 Wye Valley Runners B 108 (291), 6 Hereford Couriers C 110 (324), 7 Croft Ambrey RC 126 (378), 8 Wye Valley Runners C 148 (403), 9 Hereford Triathlon Club 171 (589), 10 Wye Valley Runners D 178 (513), 11 Rhayader AC 215 (717), 12 Ludlow Runners B 219, 13 Builth and District Runners 227 (684).