Completing their Essex league fixtures for the season at the Stubbens Outdoor Pursuit Centre at Upminster on Saturday, Chelmsford Athletics Club claimed three team victories.

Adrian Mussett, of Colchester Harriers, headed the senior men's field over the 7.5 kilometres as he had done in the previous meeting on his home ground.

David Fewell (4th), Lee Pickering (8th), Garon Heslop (11th) and Dave Tullett (13th) then put Chelmsford in the driving seat and, although Colchester then completed their scoring six by 24th spot with Martin Gibbs 28th and Peter Tullett 34th, Chelmsford's score of 98 points gave them an advantage of five.

In third place were Thurrock (122), followed by Ilford (137), Havering (192) and Southend (257). This gave the league title to Chelmsford with seven points, with Colchester (16) and Thurrock (20).

Individually, Billericay's Jamie Nunn came out top for the season with Dave Tullett second.

Colchester's Mark Gamble-Thompson headed the over 40 year age group - Peter Tullett placing third. Chelmsford pair Dave Fewell and Lee Pickering head the junior rankings.

Both the under 17 year men and women's events also went the way of Chelmsford.

In the women's race it was a double for Frances Cliffe who won the event from Danielle Tatum (Colchester and Tendring) and the support from Sarah Jarvis (4th), Hollie Smith (5th) and Kayleigh Dickson (9th) gave a score of 19 and comfortably ahead of Havering's 42.

Although Frances also claimed the season's award while Hollie headed the charts for under 20s, the team place in the league put them third behind Southend and Havering.

In the under 17 men, Chelmsford had John Ferguson (9th), Oli Fahey (10th), Will Wright (11th) and Tom Henderson (16th) and, with 36 points, they just edged Havering.

The season's results put them on seven points with Havering eight reflect how close these two have been in the season.

The senior women's race reversed this role, Havering winning on the day with 40 points to Chelmsford's 45, with the table showing the same order ahead of Colchester Harriers.

Published Thursday, January 16, 2003

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