LEIGH Harriers young athletes excelled at Sale Harriers' Cosford Bridge facility.

In the under-9 girls, two Harriers raced shoulder to shoulder for the gold medal. Both recorded the same time of 6.01sec, Shannon Johnson just winning with Faye Horrocks in second place. Grace Warburton ran well in 16th place with a time of 6.48sec.

In the girls under-13 race, Hannah Warburton got back to winning ways, clinching the 1.5 mile race in a time of 9.40sec. Kirsty Hogan gave good team support in 32nd place with a time of 12.36sec.

In the boys under-11 race, Camaron Adamson ran well in 14th place, 7.00sec, with Isaac Southern in 27th place 8.02sec. Isaac McCann gave his usual committed display in the boys under-13 race finishing in 13th place in 9.58sec.

The third South East Lancs League Match was hosted by Salford Harriers at Boggart Hole Clough on Saturday.

The Leigh Harriers team had a good day. Starting in the first race the girls under-11 race, Abigail Howarth continues to impress, winning second place over 2000 metres of tough racing in a time of 7.26sec.

Shannon Johnson was 8th in 8.27sec and Bethany Jones 9th in 8.29sec.

The Leigh team finished second in the under-11 boys race. Camaron Adamson ran his best race for the club finishing in fifth place 7.24sec. Jack Ryan was 16th in 8.21sec, Adam Howarth 18th in 8.26sec, Isaac Southern came 19th in 8.42sec and Jack Castledine was 22nd in 9.36sec.

The team won second place in the under-13 girls race. Hannah Warburton was second in 10.04sec, Victoria Green came 5th, Amy Riley 9th and Kirsty Hogan 15th in 12.27sec. The team were second.

Isaac McCann consolidated his overall third place in the under-13 race finishing in third place in 10.25sec.

Chris Foulds, slowly improving, was 11th in 12.34sec.

Leigh's Howarth sisters were second and third in the under-15 race, Lauren second in 12.34sec with Rebecca third in 12.48sec.

Tom Henders, in his first race for three months after recovering from a broken arm, ran a promising race in the boys under-15 race finishing in fourth place in a time of 12.03sec for the two mile course.

Mike Goddard led the team to their only win of the day in the youths four mile race.

Mike was second in 20.55sec. Alex Urmston came fourth in 20.55sec and Neil Pendlebury came sixth in 21.52sec.

In the ladies under-17 race over a three mile course, Amanda Fearnley was third in 22.33sec, Emma Morris fifth in 25.59sec and Yasmin Foulds 15th in 26.56sec, the team finishing in second place.

In the senior races, Sarah Cain who has shown remarkable progress during the cross country season, had her best finishing position winning 20th place in a time of 24.42sec.

In the senior race over six miles, Leigh's second claim member Scott Hughes was 4th in 32.53sec. Phil Foster was close behind in eighth place in 33.07sec, John Howarth 17th in 35.03sec and Martin Conroy in 28th place in 37.04sec.

The Harriers will be hosting the Greater Manchester Cross Country Championships on Saturday. The races, which start at 10.45am at Marshall Street College, will attract the best runners in the country and should see some exciting races with athletes trying to win places on the Greater Manchester Team for the Intercounties Championships in February, which will be the trials for the Great Britain team to run in the world cross country Championships.