SUNDERLAND Harriers, chasing their 19th DP Furniture North-East Harrier League senior men's team title, shot to the top of division one, despite being beaten by one point in the rain-swept third meeting at Chester-le-Street.

The Wearsiders lost 118-119 to Blaydon Harriers. But their arch-rivals, Durham City, who were level on points, could finish only fourth in the quagmire and are now two points behind the leaders with two fixtures remaining.

Sunderland's top performer was again new recruit Tom Doughty, who joined his home-town club after a career in the RAF.

The 40-year-old, who won the veterans' bronze medal in the recent World Triathlon Championships in New Zealand, finished fourth overall from the medium pack, receiving 2 minutes start in the six-mile handicap event as Sunderland packed their six counters in the first 32.

The race was won by Elswick's Paul McCartney, taking full advantage of his five-minute start from the slow pack to win by nearly two minutes from another front runner, Andrew Swinburne, who led Morpeth Harriers to a comfortable Division Two team win.

Norwich City's Olivia Walwyn, running in Durham University colours, won the women's three mile race.

She beat defending champion Claire Smallwood by 36 seconds, but the Jarrow and Hebburn runner was pleased with her performance after a six-month injury absence. Elvet Striders, who won the first two fixtures, slipped to third in the team race but still head the points table.

North-East Harrier League Third Fixture (Chester-le-Street)

Senior Men (6m Handicap): 1 P McCartney (Elswick, Slow Pack +5 mins) 32.34; 2 A Swinburne (Morpeth, SP) 34.15; 3 R Stephenson (North Shields Poly, Medium Pack +2 1/2 mins) 34.35; 4 T Doughty (Sunderland, MP) 34.39; 5 G Dixon (Morp, SP) 34.56. Fastest times: 1 T Wall (Mor) 30.09; 2 S Bell (Chester-le-Street) 30.16; 3 M McDonald (Low Fell) 30.25.

Teams - Div 1: 1 Blaydon 118; 2 Sunderland 119; 3 North Shields Po,ly 156. Div 2: 1 Morpeth 32; 2 Sunderland Strollers 107; 3 Tynedale 193. Div 3: 1 Chester-le-Street 43; 2 Newcastle Univ 117; 3 Jarrow & Hebburn 151.

Under-17 Men (2 1/2m h/c): 1 A Welford (Gosforth, SP + 2.40) 17.02; 2 K Flannery (Gateshead, SP) 17.26; 3 L Timmins (Gosforth, FP) 18.42. Fastest times: 1 L Timmins 16.02; 2 R Floyd (Morp)16.31; 3 A Welford 17.02. Teams: 1 Gosforth 8; 2 Blaydon 28; 3 Houghton & Peterlee 33.

Under-15 Boys (2m h/c): 1 L Irving (Morp, SP + 1.40) 13.17; 2 R Kirkup (Blyth, SP) 13.18; 3 R Hopkins (Birtley, SP) 13.29. Fastest times: 1 S Potter (NSP) 12.07; 2 R Cunningham (Birt) 12.10; 3 M Travis (Morp) 12.14. Teams: 1 Morpeth 20; 2 Birtley 23; 3 Gosforth 24.

Under-13 Boys (1 1/4 m h/c): 1 N Flannery (Gates, SP +1.20) 8.35; 2 C Smith (Blackhill, SP) 8.45; 3 M Dale (NSP, SP) 8.56. Fastest times: 1 C Bell (ClS) 8.23; 2= J Hewitt (Gos) 8.35 & N Flannery. Teams: 1 Gateshead 26; 2 Morpeth 32; 3 Blackhill 43.

Senior Women (3m h/c): 1 O Walwyn (Durham Univ, SP + 3 mins) 18.32; 2 C Smallwood (J&H, SP) 19.08; 3 A Hunter (J&H, SP) 19.26. Fastest times: 1 H Wooton (Newcastle Univ) 18.11; 2 O Walwyn 18.32; 3 D James (Elvet) 18.34. Teams: 1 Durham Univ 14; 2 North Shields Poly 55; 3 Elvet Striders 56.

Under-17/20 Women (3m h/c): 1 K Chapman (U20 Claremont, SP + 2.40) 20.40; 2 H Dix (Blaydon, SP) 20.50; 3 J Wilkinson (H&P, SP) 21.07. Fastest times: 1 M Ferrier (Gates) 19.02; 2 D Watts (U20 Morp, 19.35; 3 K Chapman 20.40. Team: Tynedale 25.

Under-15 Girls (2m h/c): 1 C Baudouin (Gates, SP +2 mins) 13.29; 2 L Smith (Gos, SP) 13.33; 3 A Suffield (Shildon, SP) 13.35. Fastest times: 1 S Smith (Tynedale) 12.43; 2 C Reay (Blaydon) 13.05; 3 R Adams (Morp) 13.07. Teams: 1 Gateshead 14; 2 Gosforth 23; 3 Houghton 54.

Under-13 Girls (1 1/4 m h/c): 1 V Addison (J&H, SP + 1.35) 10.16; 2 S Wood (Dur C, SP) 10.19; 3 E Campbell (Sund, SP) 10.22. Fastest times: 1 S Smith (Tynedale) 9.22; 2 C Fletcher (Gates) 9.23; 3 E Spoor (Sund) 9.24. Teams: 1 Sunderland 29; 2 Morpeth 34; 3 Houghton 45.

* Stephen Hepples, 24, of Loftus AC, won a sprint finish to take the £200 first prize in yesterday's Dewsbury 10K, with a winning time of 29 mins 48 secs.