TERRY Martin chalked up his first victory of the season when he won the Countdown Rally in Cumbria.

Martin, from Blackburn, beat second-placed Ed Dentice and Tom Wilcox by two minutes, with third place going to SD34 Championship leaders Dan Willan and Paul Allen.

They lost out on top spot after missing a codeboard and incurring a five-minute penalty.

As ever, former SD34 champion Martin didn't have an easy run to his second Countdown win.

With regular navigator Jerry Hettrick acting as clerk-of-the-course for the event, Martin enlisted the help of former mapman Paul Taylor.

And the reunited pair were immediately in trouble when the vacuum pipe to the brake servo split on their Peugeot 205 GTi.

Although they were able to repair the damage, Martin was left with a rock-hard brake pedal for the remainder of the rally.

Organisers Spadeadam Motor Club laid on a well-received 135-mile route in North Lancashire and Cumbria, including three miles of whites and five miles of gravel forest roads.

With results counting towards ANCC, SD34, HRCR Tartan and TMSG championships, the club were rewarded with a healthy entry of top road rally crews, headed by James Tyson and Neil Harrison.

Their rally didn't last long however, and after missing TC2 headed home early.

Pendle DMC's Bill Chadwick teamed up with Bob Hargreaves to claim sixth place, one ahead of Clitheroe pair Myles Gleave and Jason Crook.

Results: 1: Terry Martin / Paul Taylor (Peigeot 205GTi) 9m; 2: Ed Dentice / Tom Wilcox (VW Golf) 11m; 3: Dan Willan / Paul Allen (Vauxhall Astra) 13m; 4: Malcolm / Richard Holdsworth (Honda Civic) 14m; 5: Kris / Steve Coombes (Peugeot 309 GTi) 19m; 6: Bill Chadwick / Bob Hargreaves (Peugeot 205GTi) 20m; 7: Myles Gleave / Jason Crook (Peugeot 205GTi) 21m.