Blackburn Harriers went down with all guns blazing in the fourth round of the Young Athletes League at Witton Park on Sunday.

They meet each of their 15 rivals in the Northern Premier League once over the summer, three at a time, and after three successive second places were sitting fifth in the division after promotion last year.

Sunday's match saw them accumulate a very respectable 310.5 points, and even lead in the very early stages, but Gateshead especially proved their stiffest opposition to date.

York Rowntree and Wirral also overhauled the Harriers as they slipped to last.

Joe Commissionge showed how strong the competition was with Grade 2 standards in the 100m and 200m as well as a Grade 3 in the 800m and a Grade 4 in the shot, yet amazingly the under 13 left the meeting without a victory to his credit.

Richard Stankiewics set a Grade 2 standard with 55.9 seconds for the runners up spot in the under 15s 400m and five girls hit the same standard Rachel Searson, Abby Edmondson, Naomi Thompson, Charlotte Atkinson and Bracken Sturgess.

Rachel was backed by Melanie Taylor to win maximum points in the under 17 women's 3000m while Naomi and Beckie Taylor in the under 13s 800m and Charlotte with Megan Searson in the under 13s 1200m were also double winners.

Meanwhile, Hyndburn were third of four at the Queensway Stadium at Wrexham to add to their second place in the previous round of Northern Division 1 West. Leigh Lennon was the Female Track Athlete of the Match with 2:16.2 in the under 17s 800m.

To underline the club's excellence in the middle distances, Robbie Schofield won the "A" string under 17s 400m and 1500m, Joe Basquil the under 15s 400m and 800m, and Amy Crabtree and Abbie Thistlethwaite the girls 800m at under 15 and under 13 level.

Josh Fisher won the under 13s 75m hurdles as Jennifer Mitchell came up trumps in the under 17 women's 3000m.

For the second consecutive round, a Pendle athlete won the Girls Field Athlete of the Match honour with Sophie Hitchen taking the girl's award in their Division 2WC match at Bury.

Sophie won the under 17 shot after Elizabeth Clarke had won at Witton Park last month in the under 17 women's triple jump with a Grade 2 9.62m.

This week's final result is not confirmed yet, but club officials are expecting to continue their run of second places.