A YOUNG Sunderland trio ended Morpeth Harriers' hopes of a hat-trick of victories in yesterday's 22nd Durham Cathedral Cross Country Relays - and salt was rubbed into the wound when the Northumbrian A team was disqualified after a change-over mix-up.

Despite being without four of their top runners, the National Cross Country Relay champions were confident of adding to their successes over the last two years on the fast riverside course and seemed to be on track when Tom Ranger - just back from working in the USA - finished first on the opening leg for Morpeth A.

But B string runner Dan Samuels took over instead of Terry Wall, a mistake which was quickly spotted by race officials.

Sunderland, unaware of the mix-up, improved on teenager Patrick Martin's second place on the opening leg, with Mark Hood, 23, overtaking Samuels and 22-year-old anchorman Gavin Massingham made sure of victory when he finished a comfortable 15 seconds ahead of Gosforth.

Morpeth's A team finished third and were promptly disqualified, but their B team, who were deemed not to have gained any advantage by the wrong change-over, were promoted into the bronze medal position.

Ranger had the consolation of recording the fastest three kilometre leg for the second year in a row, his time of 8 mins 31 seconds being two seconds quicker than 19-year-old Martin, with Morpeth B runner Neil Wilkinson - the reigning North-East cross country champion - third with 8.34.

Sunderland celebrated a double when their over-40 team won the North-East Veterans' Cross Country Relay Championship.

British Veterans' Cross Country champion Brian Rushworth moved from fourth to first on the second leg, clocking the fastest time of 8 mins 50 secs and handing over a 66 seconds advantage to anchorman Dave Robertson, who went on to finish 85 seconds ahead of Morpeth A.

A superb second-leg run by England international Morag McDonnell paved the way for a comfortable win for Chester-le-Street in the women's relay. She clocked the best time of 9 mins 56 secs, 15 seconds faster than team-mate Alison Dixon, who finished 1 min 17 seconds ahead of runners-up Morpeth A.

Morpeth had the consolation of winning the young athletes' mixed relay, their two under-15s and two under-13s boys and girls finishing 20 seconds ahead of Sunderland, with Morpeth teams occupying the next three places.

* Morpeth Harrier Nick McCormick scored a runaway victory in the 4K event in the International Cross Country meeting at Edinburgh.

McCormick, coached by Lindsay Dunn, who guided Chester-le-Street's women's team to success in the 2003 National Championships, led from the end of the first lap and devastated rivals Mike Skinner (Blackheath) and Andrew Baddeley (Harrow) with a scorching final lap, winning by seven second in 12 mins 22 secs.

Now the 23-year-old full time athlete, who was ranked the UK's sixth fastest 1500m runner last summer, is aiming to qualify for this year's World Championships.