PETER Matthews led the way as Blackburn Harriers raced to team success at the Lancashire Cross Country Championships.

Matthews finished third in 32 minutes and 31 seconds, behind Salford Harriers duo Tom Cornthwaite (32mins 10secs) and Gary Priestly (32mins 24secs), in the senior’s men race at the big Witton Park event.

His performance, combined with those of V40 winner Paul Guinan (17th in 35mins 6secs), Thomas Blaney (20th in 35mins 25ses), Brian Fogerty (23rd in 35mins 43secs), Shaun Livesey (31st in 36mins 18secs) and V45 runner-up Matt Nuttall (32nd in 36mins 35secs), ensured Blackburn Harriers won the senior men’s team title.

They were followed up in third by Rossendale Harriers, for whom Joe Johnston powered to a top-five finish (fifth in 32mins 42secs).

Spencer Riley (22nd in 35mins 37secs) was first home for Clayton-le-Moors Harriers, for whom Colin Shuttleworth (57th in 39mins 38secs) claimed the V55 prize, Brian Horrocks (70th in 41mins 9secs) was the third V55, and David Scott (110th in 48mins 35secs) landed the V70 honour.

Nick Trietl (27th in 35mins 57secs) spearheaded the charge for Barlick Fell Runners; Mark Walsh (51st in 38mins 52secs), the third fastest V45, did the same for Darwen Dashers AC.

Graham Morris (60th in 40mins 2secs), Martin Kerry (94th in 45mins 26secs), David Moynihan (97th in 45mins 58secs) and Adam Howand (114th in 51mins 49secs) were first past the post for Accrington Road Runners, Blackburn Road Runners, Hyndburn AC and Trawden AC respectively.

V65 winner Barry Chester (106th in 47mins 58secs) brought Chorley AC & Triathlon Club home followed by third-fastest V70 Philip McCullagh (118th in 53mins 46secs).

Blackburn Harriers also claimed the men’s veterans team title. Clayton-le-Moors Harriers were third.

Darwen Dashers AC’s Joanne Nelson was second overall and the first L40 in the women’s race.

She crossed the line in 26mins 13secs followed in fifth by Blackburn Harriers’ Helen Leigh in 26mins 52secs.

Leigh’s display, combined with those of third-fastest L20 Beckie Taylor (12th in 28mins 10secs) and Sarah Toms (13th in 28mins 37secs), ensured her club came second in the ladies team standings.

Accrington Road Runners, led by third-fastest L45 Deborah Gowans (ninth in 27mins 54secs), were the ladies veterans team winners. Clayton-le-Moors Harriers, for whom Jean Brown (17th in 29mins 25secs) was their top performer, were third.

Sarah Yeomans (20th in 29mins 32secs) and Ellen Sagar-Hesketh (37th in 33mins 27secs) were first home for Rossendale Harriers and Hyndburn AC respectively.

Prizes went to Darwen Dashers AC’s Janine Fallon (fastest L35 and 21st overall in 29mins 34secs), Accrington Road Runners’ Lisa Parker (second-fastest L35 and 23rd overall in 31mins), and Clayton-le-Moors Harriers’ Yvonne Wickham (third-fastest L50 and 49th overall in 39mins 20secs) and Christine Leathley (L60 winner and 52nd overall in 44mins 12secs).

Hyndburn AC’s George Owen won the under-11s boys race in 5mins 57secs while the U11s girls title went the way of Blackburn Harriers’ Amy Davies in 6mins 18secs.

Kai Atkins of Pendle AC finished second in the U13s boys race in 11mins 25secs while Ella Tinman of Rossendale Harriers was third in 12mins 49secs in the U13s girls race.

Blackburn Harriers’ Grace Handley (13mins 24secs) stormed to glory in the U15s girls race followed by Hyndburn AC’s Blythe Fourie (13mins 49secs) in second and Ribble Valley AC’s Eleanor Bolton (13mins 54secs) in third.

Pendle AC duo Matthew Barnes (12mins 17secs) and Thomas Marchant (12mins 27secs) were second and third respectively in the U15s boys race.

Katie Buckingham of Blackburn Harriers finished third in 22mins 59secs in the U17s women’s race.