Men's Surrey League, Div 2, Match 3, Richmond Park, 14 Jan 2017

We’re Back!  Brilliant Packing as Bels Head to Div 1

 It’s been a really enjoyable sojourn in Div 2, as we’ve dusted ourselves off and formed the beginnings of an engine room that could be the envy of the county for years to come.All it needs now, in Tour de France parlance is laps of honour around Croydon’s answer to the Champs d'Elysee: Lloyd Park.This wasn’t a straight-forward squad to construct as we had plenty missing and were on a scary number of six runners with under 20 mins to the gun, but then four more trickled in, and Scotty-boy did his now customary appearing act with 3 mins to go.  We were ready.A terrific run from Andy gave the outstanding Sanderson little chance to relax on lap 2, and destroyed the efforts of the admirable Evans.  Ed unleashed a wicked kick on Guildford’s High and left his violent assault on Neil Wellard 10 yards too late.  But great running all the same.Then the “Belgrave Train”.  You could just about chuck the club flag over Paul, Nick [Bundle] and James; the former charging through the last lap like a fox let loose in a chicken hutch.They only got away a little from the ever-dependable Arne, whilst dear old PO once again showed his humility by ‘taking one for the team’.  Yes, he’ll be mildly mortified to be making new friends in this part of the field, but as the 4^th greatest Surrey League runner in history, he has nothing to prove.Then a fast improving brace of Mills boys [no relation]; and which of two Cold War warriors to see us home?  Paddy Power had two-to-one on Phil, but it was Alex Luce, blinkers on for the VLM, who powered to his 17^th league score spread over a quarter of a Century.With Guildford needing a 400-point swing on today in the last match to leapfrog us, there is more chance of Charlotte Church and Elton John singing a duet at Trump’s inauguration.  We can breathe a sigh of relief that last year’s nightmare on the Common is but a footnote in English cross-country history.1 J Sanderson (G&G) 27:04; 2 A Jaksevicius 27:38, 3 S Evans (K&P) 27:53; 6 E Auden 28:13; 9 P Lowe 28:59; 10 N Bundle 29:05; 11 J Williams 29:13; 15 Arne Dumez 29:24; 20 P Owor 30:07; 37 A Mills 31:18; 86 S Mills 33:53; 103 A Luce 34:34; 110 P Carstairs 35:05.  163 ran1 Belgrave H 272; 2 Reigate 296; 3 Guildford 432.Overall:  1 Belgrave H 672; 2 Reigate 825; 3 Guildford 923.