Laura Thomas won her second race in a row, as her club Ipswich JAFFA clinched victory in the second event in the NESS (North-Essex & South-Suffolk) Cross Country League, staged by Witham Running Club at Great Notley Country Park on Sunday.

Fresh from finishing first female at the first meeting, held the previous weekend at Writtle College, Thomas was again first lady at the Braintree event.

Hayley Ellen, of host club Witham RC, was second, for the second week running, while Thomas’ JAFFA club-mate Sara Bird took third place. The Colchester Harriers pair of Andrea James and Rebecca Cooke were fourth and fifth respectively.

Meanwhile, Springfield Striders’ Chris Burgyone led home a field of 327 to win the men’s race. JAFFA’s Craig Fiddaman took second, as he had done the previous Sunday. Danny Millward, of Colchester Harriers, also matched his result of seven days earlier in third.

Fellow Harrier, Nate Filer, was fourth and the top six was completed by the JAFFA duo of Ben Turley (winner of the first race at Writtle) and Paul Wain.

In the team stakes, JAFFA won the men’s category and were second among the ladies, so winning overall by pipping Colchester Harriers (first in the ladies, second in the men).

In Pool B, Tiptree Road Runners tasted overall victory, with Hadleigh Hares in second.

After two races, Colchester Harriers lead the way at the top of Pool A, while there is a three-way tie for second place between Witham, Springfield Striders and defending champions Ipswich JAFFA. Tiptree lead Pool B, from Halstead Road Runners.

Results

Top 20 men: 1 C Burgyone (Springfield); 2 C Fiddaman (JAFFA); 3 D Millward (Col/Harr); 4 N Filer (Col/H); 5 B Turley (JAFFA); 6 P Wain (JAFFA); 7 E Afewerki (Col/H); 8 R Reason (Harwich); 9 A Manton (Spring); 10 A Wade (JAFFA).

11 D Widdowson (Hadleigh); 12 R Heath (Col/H); 13 L Fitz-John (Springfield); 14 K Smith (Halstead RR); 15 C Sellens (Col/H); 16 H Mizon (Witham); 171 A Goodall (Springfield); 18 J Crisp (Witham); 19 A Smith (Gt Bentley); 20 N Clarke (JAFFA).

Top 20 ladies: 1 L Thomas (JAFFA); 2 H Ellen (Witham); 3 S Bird (JAFFA); 4 A James (Col/H); 5 R Cooke (Col/H); 6 H Armitage (Witham); 7 E Zethraeus (Gt Bentley); 8 S Godden (Tiptree); 9 R Roughan (Halstead); 10 D Cattermole (Col/Harr).

11 M Ward (Had); 12 A Oakman (Col/H); 13 J Mark (Col/H); 14 L Ferguson (Mid-Essex); 15 R Bodsworth (Had); 16 V Jennings (JAFFA); 17 C Roberts (Witham); 18 J Moat (Col/H); 19 R Hamblyn (JAFFA); 20 K Gibson (Col/H).

Men’s teams, Pool A: 1 JAFFA 134pts; 2 Col/Harr 151; 3 Spring 187. Pool B: 1 Tiptree RR 249pts; 2 Halstead RR 470; 3 Hadleigh 494.

Ladies’ teams, Pool A: 1 Col/Harr 31pts; 2 JAFFA 39; 3 Witham 46. Pool B: 1 Hadleigh 56pts; 2 Tiptree 90; 3 Halstead 97.

Combined teams, Pool A: 1 JAFFA, 2 Col/Harr, 3 Witham. Pool B: 1 Tiptree, 2 Hadleigh, 3 Halstead.

Overall standings (after two races):

Pool A: 1 Col/Harr 11pts; 2= Witham, Springfield & JAFF all 8pts; 5 Gt Bentley 5; 6 Harwich 2. Pool B: 1 Tiptree 9pts; 2 Halstead 8; 3 Hadleigh 7; 4 Mid-Essex 4; 5 CATS 2.