BOYS were best for Vale Royal Athletics Club when they hosted the North West Counties Road Relays at Marbury Park.

The Knights Grange-based outfit’s U13s boys trio of Josh Hinchly, Sam Coleman and Robert Weir scooped a silver medal after losing out to champions Preston Harriers by just six seconds.

There was regional recognition too for the U17s boys’ collective of Matthew Sheen, Daniel Morrison and Sam Whitehead as they placed third in their category.

Vale Royal’s U15s girls, for whom Amy Hinchly ran the day’s second fastest split on the first leg, narrowly missed out on a medal after finishing fourth.

Five of the club’s teams were crowned county best after setting the best times against their Cheshire rivals, including both the senior men’s and women’s quartets.

The former finished sixth overall in a bumper field consisting of more than 70 foursomes.

Vale Royal were victors in the Cheshire Championships in both U17s classes as well as the U13s boys.

Silver gongs went to the club’s U15s boys and girls, plus the U13s girls.

Results
North West Counties Road Relays
Marbury Park, Northwich, Saturday – Senior Men (4x5.4km):
6. Vale Royal AC A (Chris Perry, Andrew Miles, Mike Vennard, Stuart Doyle) 1:10.37; 17. Vale Royal AC B (Zack Bamber, James Griffiths, George Thompson, Brian Moore) 1:13.05; 33. Vale Royal AC C (Josh Boyce, Lewis Healey, Darren Cottier, Graham Miles) 1:17.20; 48. Vale Royal AC D (John Thompson, Tony Archer, Scott Bamber, Tom Annable) 1:22.17; 67. Vale Royal AC E (Dave Shepherd, John Clarke, Richard Pettitt; Paul Hudson) 1:33.20.

Senior Women (3x5.4km): 6. Vale Royal AC A (Jodie Spencer, Kathy Stringer, Amelia Pettitt) 1:03.58; 28. Vale Royal AC B (Jacky Thorn, Diane Newsham, Jo Edwards) 1:15.30.

U17s Boys (3x5.4km): 3. Vale Royal AC A (Matthew Sheen, Daniel Morrison, Sam Whitehead) 55:12; 11. Vale Royal AC B (Patrick Stradling, Luke Cockerton, Ben McIntosh) 59:24.

U17s Girls (3x2.7km): 6. Vale Royal AC A (Lucy Scott, Clara Pettitt, Emma Pyatt) 31:06; 11. Vale Royal AC B (Jade Evans, Cerys Heaher, Lucy Burch) 33:21.

U15s Boys (3x2.7km): 5. Vale Royal AC (Will Parsons, Will Nowell, Matt Rowlinson) 27:48.

U15s Girls (3x2.7km): 4. Vale Royal AC A (Amy Hinchly, Megan Hough, Chloe Broad) 29:52; 22. Vale Royal AC B ( Amy Nolan, Becky Smith, Lois Roebotham) 35:33.

U13s Boys (3x2.7km): 2. Vale Royal AC A (Josh Hinchly, Sam Coleman, Robert Weir) 29:22; 20. Vale Royal AC B (John Humphries, Luke Mills, Alex Doyle) 33:23.

U13s Girls (3x2.7km): 8. Vale Royal AC A (Caitlin Dimmick, Rebecca Williams, Georgina Denham) 32:43; 22. Vale Royal AC B (Emily Oakes, Jasmin Thompson, Molly Whitehead) 37:04.