THE torrential rain over the preceding 24 hours created a waterlogged course for the second Red Rose Cross Country League fixture at Bolton’s Leverhulme Park but it was once again Bury AC’s women who made light of the difficult conditions with both the senior and u13s' teams running out victors.

Hannah Price was Bury’s first finisher in the senior race taking third place in a battle with a competitor from Gosforth.

Caitlin Cole, making the trip from her home in Edinburgh to represent the club, took fourth place with Rachel Marshall in 12th and Katie Geelan 18th giving the team a commanding victory over Bolton.

There were also top 50 supporting runs from Katie Oakley (22nd), Sarah Thomas (23rd), Lizzi Cheshire (39th), Nicola Ryan (42nd) and Fran Garroch (43rd).

For the u13s, Chloe Ardin ran a great race to take third place with Emily Purdy in sixth and Lola Potts in eighth. Such tight placing gave the girls a much-deserved victory over Chorley.

The senior men’s team was bolstered by the welcome return of Ben Coop and Josh Birmingham.

They both produced brilliant performances to take fourth and fifth respectively.

Luke Harreld was the next in for the Bury team in 19th, supported by Dave Cullen (23rd), Jack Griffiths (35th) and Paul Johnston (37th).

The placings were good enough to give Bury third place team and within striking distance of Rossendale. Patrick Babb was Bury’s other top 50 finisher in 42nd.

The u11 boys' scoring trio of Oliver Cooper (22nd), Owen Lowe (33rd) and Rory Hunt (37th) took eighth team place with the girls trio of Lucy Dent (12th), Tia Buckley (28th) and Isabel Robinson (56th) taking seventh place overall.

The u13 boys also had to settle for eighth place with the scoring trio of Thomas Donnelly, Samuel Howard and Finley Collings finishing 18th, 24th and 37th respectively.

The u15 girls also took eighth place team – Freya Potts led them home in a magnificent fourth place with Grace Gibson (26th) and Connie Potts (41st) the other scoring runners.  The u15 boys did not have a full team with only Nathan Ardin (21st) and Matthew Lowe (24th) turning out from the squad.

Oliver Donnelly ran well for seventh in the u17 men’s race.

Team-mate Jacob Allen was 19th but, again without a third athlete, Bury did not complete the team race.

This situation was repeated in the u17 women’s race with only Kate Lilley (ninth) and Bolanje Akinnayajo (16th) competing for Bury.

The third of the four Red Rose fixtures will be held at Todmorden on November 9.