Hereford Couriers'

Matt James returned to form with a tenacious performance and Croft Ambrey RC consolidated their lead in the team contest in the second race of the Herefordshire Summer Off Road League at Aconbury and organised by Wye Valley Runners.

Another good turnout of runners negotiated the testing course which included field margins and forest tracks and roads.

Builth Wells' Jon Pugh, convincing winner of the first race in the series, dictated the early pace as he surged powerfully up the first steep climb into the forest with a group containing James, Wye Valley Runners' pairing of Jon Barnes and John Pullen, Croft Ambrey's Stacey Morgan and Pugh's team mate Tim Iveson trailing in his wake.

Pugh continued to extend his lead as the runners gradually climbed to the summit of Aconbury Hill and he reached the top with a sizeable lead.

Matt James was running his first race of the summer having taken a break after some recent disappointing displays. As the route started to drop steeply on the downhill firm tracks through the woodland, he began to eat into Pugh's lead and eventually flew past his rival in the final mile of the five-and-a-quartermile one-lap course to open up a 40-metre lead.

The final 100-metre approach to the finish line was uphill and James's lack of race fitness began to tell as he started to struggle.

Pugh spotted his opportunity and unleashed a finishing sprint and just failed to catch the leader as James collapsed over the line to register an exhilarating and exciting victory.

Had the race been five metres longer, the result would have been different.

Eighteen-year-old Jon Barnes continued his progress with a mature performance to finish third closely followed by Tim Iveson.

Hereford & County AC's outstanding youngster Clara Evans dominated the female race from the start to finish.

She finished 26th overall on a course where she had run so well in the winter cross country league when the tracks were ankle deep in mud.

Evans has recently finished her exams and is enjoying her running as she looked relaxed running up the finishing climb in conditions which were much more favourable.

Croft Ambrey's Sue Davies produced another impressive and determined run to finish second female and 31st in the race with the improving Tricia Wright of Hereford Triathlon Club third and 43rd overall.

Croft Ambrey took the team honours for the second consecutive race to extend their overall lead to 38 points with two races to go in the summer series.

In the team of three males and one female, Davies's excellent work was ably backed by Morgan in sixth place, closely followed by veteran Simon Norwood in seventh and another fine run from Dave Ameghino in 11th place.

Wye Valley Runners finished second thanks to Barnes in third, another excellent run from the dependable John Pullen in fifth, Jim Hicks in eighth and Nina Haggett in 55th.

Reigning champions Hereford Couriers finished as third team, strengthened by the return of James who was supported by veterans Max Suff in 10th, Dave Williams, 14th, and Alison Cooke, 49th.

The next event in the series will take place at Westhope on Wednesday, July 21, starting at 7.30pm.

HEREFORDSHIRE COUNTY SUMMER OFF-ROAD LEAGUE Race 2 Aconbury Men’s Positions: 1 Matt James (Hereford Couriers) 31.45, 2 Jon Pugh (Builth & District RC) 31.46, 3 Jon Barnes (Wye Valley Runners) 32.09, 4 Tim Iveson (B&DRC) 32.22, 5 John Pullen (WVR) 33.04, 6 Stacey Morgan (Croft Ambrey RC) 33.23, 7 Simon Norwood (CARC) 34.15, 8 Jim Hicks (WVR) 34.34, 9 Andy Taylor (Hereford Triathlon Club) 34.56, 10 Max Suff (HC) 35.06, 11 Dave Ameghino (CARC) 35.32, 12 Dan Napolitano (Presteigne Pacers) 35.43, 13 Matt Ansfield (WVR) 35.57, 14 Dave Williams (HC) 36.01, 15 Gavin Wright (CARC) 36.12, 16 Carl Gilmour (Hay Hotfooters) 36.21, 17 Neil Powell (CARC) 36.25, 18 Mark Paviour (CARC) 36.43, 19 Luke Williams (HC) 36.56, 20 John Walden (Ludlow Runners) 37.02, 21 Mike Link (HC) 37.03, 22 Geoff Kay (HC) 37.27, 23 Simon Roche (WVR) 37.29, 24 Mick Ligema (CARC) 37.40, 25 Darren Woodall (HTC) 37.41.

Team Positions: 1 Croft Ambrey RC 70, 2 Wye Valley Runners 70, 3 Hereford Couriers 73, 4 Builth & District RC 110, 5 HCB 111, 6 CARC B 117, 7 Presteigne Pacers 122, 8 Hereford Triathlon Club 125, 9 Wye Valley Runners B 138, Ludlow Runners 179.