IT was quality not quantity for Horwich RMI Harriers at the third South East Lancs Cross Country league race of the season at Tandle Hill, Oldham on Saturday, writes David Barnes.

Eleven runners produced four first places and a first team in the under-13 boy’s race.

In challenging, muddy conditions over a quite hilly course it was always going to favour the stronger and fitter athletes.

The U13 boy’s race had Luke Brindle in first place on a course where he won last year, and with Robert Seddon (fifth), Matthew Mair (sixth) and Matthew Flatters (ninth), the team prize was never in doubt.

Ella Pendlebury came a creditable fourth in the under-13 girl's race.

In the first race of the day Lydia Johnson, in the under-11s came 14th.

The under-15s race saw Lewis Wilkes finish fifth and in the small but competitive under-17s race, Luke Massey turned on the style as he literally raced away with first place to finish nearly a minute ahead of second.

With the course now properly churned up from the other races, the senior men took to the course.

After running the first mile with Tom McGuinness from East Cheshire Harriers, Chris Farrell pulled away in a dominant display of cross country running.

Attacking every hill and making the mud seem almost non-existent, Farrell completed the 10km course more than two minutes ahead of second place.

Paul Massey had a great performance in fifth overall and finished first V45. Showing that age is no barrier, John Parker was second V70.

On the same day a few miles away in west Lancashire, the Harriers were out in force at the Ashurst Beacon fell race which was the final race in the club’s 2015 Championship.

The downhill start gets the field strung out quickly and with a one-mile climb to the finish, runners have to be careful not to go off too fast.

The winner on the Beacon this year was well outside the course record held by Horwich’s Nick Leigh.

The first Horwich finisher was Andy Ford, whose improving form was good enough for 12th place.

The consistent Graham Schofield was first Vet O55, Ian Hepburn ran well for 27th place and Nick Kelly just held off Paul Boardman by four seconds finishing 30th and 31st.

Gary Chadderton’s result secured the club the men’s fell championship title.

Suzanne Budgett won her O50 category in 61st and Sandra Kelly gained the club's ladies’ fell championship title.

Tony Hesketh won the Beacon race in 1988 and this time easily took the first O65 award.

Parkrun this week featured a first place from Joe Mercer at Heaton and two second places from Harriers at other parkruns. But the highlight was 11-year-old Maisy Lever being the first female home at Pennington Flash in a great time of 23:55 for the 5km.

Results: South East Lancs Cross Country League, Tandle Hill: U11 girls – 14th Lydia Johnson 11:18; U13 girls – fourth Ella Pendlebury 17:42; U13 boys – first Luke Brindle 14:51; fifth Robert Seddon 15:35; sixth Matthew Mair 15:42; ninth Matthew Flatters 16:06; U15 boys – fifth Lewis Wilkes 13:52; U17 men – first Luke Massey 20:22; Senior Men – first Chris Farrell 36:21; fifth Paul Massey 41:59; 93rd John Parker 62:44.

Ashurst Beacon Fell Race, Newburgh: 12th Andy Ford 42:24; 23rd Graham Schofield 44:31; 27th Ian Hepburn 44:56; 30th Nick Kelly 45:20; 40th Gary Chadderton 46:22; 50th Doug Fleming 47:14; 61st Suzanne Budgett 49:01; 64th Tony Hesketh 49:18; 94th Sandra Kelly 52:31; 121st Gordon Stone 57:30; 130th Lawrence Pinnell 58:28.