ROB Webb produced his best performance of the Red Rose Cross Country League season by powering to third place in Saturday’s race at Leverhulme Park.

The Rossendale Harriers ace had finished fifth and eighth in the opening two races in the series.

But he bettered that performance by claiming a position on the podium when coming home in 35 minutes 42 seconds.

Barlick Fell Runners’ Chris Singleton was fourth in 36mins 36secs with Chorley Athletic and Triathlon Club starlet Adam Sciacca in fifth in 36mins 43secs, making him the fastest under 20s men’s runner.

The MV45 prize went the way of Blackburn Harriers’ Mat Nuttall, who followed up in seventh in 37mins 2secs.

Three places behind Nuttall was his clubmate Chris Davies in 10th in 37mins 32secs.

The Todmorden Harriers team, comprising John Wright, Craig Stansfield, Ivan Gee and Paul Brannigan, topped the men’s veterans team standings.

Joanne Nelson made it a hat-trick of ladies race victories as the Darwen Dashers star came home in 21mins 9secs, which in turn also made her the fastest LV40.

Following up in second was Trawden AC’s Christina Singleton in 21mins 36secs.

Chorley Athletic and Triathlon Club’s Lynne Clough was the fastest L45 and fourth overall in 22mins 11secs with Darwen Dashers’ Hannah Shaw the fastest under 20s ladies runner and fifth overall in 22mins 23secs.

Helen Leigh, of Blackburn Harriers, was seventh in 22mins 38secs and Debbie Gowans, of Accrington Road Runners, ninth in 22mins 53secs, which brought her the LV50 prize.

Gowans, along with Julie Brady and Julia Hartley, helped their club to the ladies veterans team title.

East Lancashire youngsters were also in action with Clayton-le-Moors Harriers Jackson McKay second in the U11s boys race in 6mins 34secs and Chorley Athletic and Triathlon Club’s Olivia Leigh second in the U11s girls race in 7mins 24secs.

Briony Holt, of Clayton-le-Moors Harriers, was third in the U13s girls race in 12mins 30secs with Josh Whitehead, of Rossendale Harriers, second in the U15s boys race in 14mins 52secs.

His clubmate, Phoebe Small, replicated that position in the U15s girls race, crossing the line in 17mins 5secs.