TIM Clarke won the third and final race in the Herefordshire Summer Off-Road League, sneaking home by the narrowest of margins from Hereford Couriers club-mate Matthew James.

But 20-year-old James' second place in the race at the Grove Golf Centre was enough to give him the overall title after wins in the previous two races.

To make it a club double for Couriers, Alison Cooke romped home in the women's race to take the title from club-mate Jayne Littlewood. Another Couriers runner, Nicola Edwards, made it a clean sweep with a third-place finish.

In the men's race, Dave Williams came close to making it a one-two-three for Couriers but was out-sprinted for the line by fellow veteran Colin Lancaster, of Ludlow Runners.

But Williams had the consolation of having done enough to clinch the league runner-up spot.

Young and not-so-young also made their mark over the series of races with junior Luke Mason, of Wye Valley Runners, finishing and fourth place and Steve Herington, of Couriers, clinching sixth position, a fine achievement for a runner from the over-55 section.

Unsurprisingly, with such strength in depth, Couriers were the winners of the team title. Each team consists of four runners, one of whom must be female. Wye Valley Runners finished in second place.

RACE RESULTS

Men: 1 Tim Clarke (Hereford Couriers) 25 min 21 sec; 2 Matthew James (HC) 25.21; 3 Colin Lancaster (Ludlow Runners) 27.03; 4 Dave Williams (HC) 27.05; 5 Bill Lloyd (HC) 27.24); 6 Max Suff 27.25.

Women: 1 Alison Cooke (HC) 31.46; 2 Jayne Littlewood (HC) 33.33; 3 Anne Thorpe (LR) 34.22; 4 Nicola Edwards (HC) 34.27; 5 Gail Colley (Wye Valley Runners) 34.27; 6 Nicki Innes (WVR) 35.47.

SERIES RESULTS

Men: 1 Matthew James (HC) 4 pts; 2 Dave Williams (HC) 11; 3 Simon Norwood (LR) 20.

Junior Men: Luke Mason (WVR) 23.

Over-40: Ralph Lloyd (WVR) 89.

Over-45: Mark Adams (HC) 64.

Over-50: Geoff Kay (HC) 48.

Over-55: Steve Herington (HC) 30.

Over-65: John Cooper (Presteigne Pacers) 119.

Women: 1 Alison Cooke (HC) 68; 2 Jayne Littlewood 82; 3 Nicola Edwards (HC) 108.

Over-35: Nicki Innes (WVR) 131.

Over-40: Gail Colley (WVR) 121.

Over-45: Sue Pretty (WVR) 157.

Over-55: Marjorie Pearce (HC) 175.

Over-60: Cynthia Cooper (PP) 152.

Team: 1 Hereford Couriers 94 pts; 2 Wye Valley Runners 165; 3 Hereford Couriers B 174; 4 Ludlow Runners 197; 5 Wye Valley Runners B 304.