Stratford beat rivals Burton to boost title hopes
STRATFORD AC gained revenge on Burton AC as they eased to victory in the third Midland Track and Field League Division Five meeting of the season at Kettering.
In the previous match, Stratford were just edged out by Burton, but there were no mistakes this time, with Stratford winning by 41 points.
Stratford went into this match leading the division at the halfway stage, albeit just a point ahead of Burton and team manager Paul Hawkins was pleased to welcome seven athletes making their first appearance of the campaign.
The new throwers had a successful day, led by Paivi McMillan, who achieved a first, second and third place in three of the throws.
Taz Chape won her main event, the javelin, as well as gaining valuable points in the discus and 100m.
In the middle distance events another newcomer, Abbie Wootton, enjoyed her debut, winning the 1500m B race while team-mate Imogen Sheppard won the A race despite not usually running this distance preferring 800m.
Sheila Lammas was also running in the team for the first time this season and came a very strong second on the 3,000m while Cadie Hibberd won the B race.
Meanwhile in the men’s 5,000m the new pairing for Stratford of Tim Hutchinson and Josh Newman had successful races strengthening the team.
The final newcomer was Martyn Helliker, who brought some much-needed quality to the hurdle events.
Helliker started by winning the B 400m hurdles race which proved to be one of Stratford’s better events as Cavan Farrow comfortably won the A race.
He then moved onto the steeplechase where he came fourth before racing in the 110m hurdles and just claiming second spot in a dip finish.
The athlete of the match for Stratford was undoubtedly Emily Madden Forman, fresh from recent successes in heptathlon.
Starting the day in the long jump, she won by the narrowest margin of 1cm.
Next was the triple jump, where Madden Forman won by a much more comfortable margin. Next was the 100m hurdles, where she was just caught on the line by a Dudley athlete and had to settle for second. However, she then moved onto the high jump to claim another win, having the equal best height but winning on countback. Finally, it was the 200m where she triumphed in the B race.
Possibly the busiest Stratford athlete was Paula Williams, who filled in for missing athletes as well as doing her own events making a massive contribution to the team.
Williams competed in six events of long jump (2nd B event), javelin (1st A event), hammer (5th A), triple jump (1st B), shot put (1st A) and 100m hurdles (1st B).
Stratford finished the day with very strong relay teams, the men’s team were once again fourth in the 4x100m and second in the 4x400m, duplicating the positions in the previous match.
The women’s teams were even more successful, coming third and first respectively. The women’s 4x400m team of Daisy Musk, Olivia Hall and sisters Jess and Imogen Sheppard were particularly dominant, winning by more than 21 seconds in a new club record time of 4.19.3.
The Stratford team have now consolidated their lead in the league with promotion looking all but certain with one fixture on 6th August left and two teams to be promoted.
They will be looking to clinch the title in what promises be a close battle with Burton.
Match result: 1 Stratford-on-Avon AC 433 2 Burton AC 391, 3 Charnwood AC 316, 4 Kettering Town H 314, 5 Daventry AC 253, 6 Dudley Stourbridge H 224, 7 Hereford & County AC 119.
Overall standings (league points in brackets): 1 Stratford on Avon AC 1250 (20), 2 Burton AC 1083 (18), 3 Charnwood AC 859 (14), 4 Daventry AAC 841 (12), 5 Dudley Stourbridge H 761 (9), 6 Kettering Town H 668 (7), 7 Hereford & County AC 515 (4).
