MATT Perry won his duel with Chris Holdsworth to lead Clayton-le-Moors Harriers home in the club’s Stan Bradshaw Pendle Round on Saturday.

The overall winner, for the second year running, was Pudsey & Bramley AC ace Rob Hope. He retained the title he won in 2013 in a time of 1 hour, 6mins 13secs.

But the Clayton-le-Moors Harriers duo enjoyed a great battle as they took over one another across the course.

But Perry edged it to claim the club’s first fell championship prize of the year as he passed the post in seventh in a time of 1 hour, 15 minutes and 30 seconds.

Holdsworth followed in ninth in 1 hour, 16mins 13secs.

Helm Hill’s Sharon Taylor claimed the ladies crown as she finished 17th overall in 1hour, 19mins 5secs.

Dave Motley was the third Clayton-le-Moors Harriers member home in 11th (1hour, 17mins 21secs) followed by Dave Nuttall in 15th (1hour, 18mins 8secs) and newcomer Ryan Belshaw in 21st (1hour, 19mins 32secs).

Blackburn Harriers’ Gary Pearse (24th in 1hour, 19mins 52secs), Rossendale Harriers’ Jason Claven (1 hour, 21mins 8secs) and Accrington Road Runners’ Andrew Priory (30th in 1hour, 21mins 26secs) also finished inside the top 30.

Claiming top 50 spots were Clayton-le-Moors Harriers’ David Bagot (36th in 1hour, 21mins 49secs) and Brian Horrocks (42nd in 1hour, 23mins 10secs), Rossendale Harriers’ Patrick Brennan (37th in 1hour, 21mins 51secs), Accrington Road Runners’ Graham Morris (38th in 1hour, 22mins 18secs) and Barlick Fell Runners’ Sarah Tipler (49th in 1hour, 24mins 9secs), who was the fourth fastest woman.

Age group prizes went to fastest LV40 Deborah Gowans of Accrington Road Runners, who was 59th overall in 1hour, 25mins exactly, and fastest LV60 Wendy Dodds of Clayton-le-Moors Harriers, who was 136th overall in 1hour, 40mins 8secs.

Yewan Bennison was Chorley AC and Triathlon Club’s fastest finisher in 58th (1hour, 24mins 52secs), as was Dean Ralphson (75th in 1hour, 28mins 58secs) for Trawden AC.

There were 208 finishers out of 213 starters.

Organisers have hailed the event a success and praised the home runners for their performances.

A club spokesman said: “It was an outstanding course and every Clayton-le-Moors Harrier performed so well.

“Congratulations to all our runners who took part on one of the toughest races around.”