TRACK middle-distance specialist Tom Ranger played a crucial role as Morpeth Harriers retained their senior men's relay title in the annual Good Friday Road Races at Newburn Riverside Park, Newcastle, yesterday.

The former North-East 1500m champion took over in second place on the third leg and turned a three seconds deficit into a 43 seconds lead with the fastest run of the day, paving the way for a comfortable victory for anchorman David Swinburne, who came home 36 seconds ahead of Gosforth.

Morpeth had opened up in style, with Dan Samuels running the second fastest 2.25-mile leg in 10 mins 36 secs only one second slower than Ranger.

But Gosforth's second leg runner, Drew Graham, moved from sixth place to open up a three second lead on the second circuit and it took an inspired run from Ranger to steer Morpeth towards victory.

Newly-crowned British Masters cross country champion Brian Rushworth was in record-breaking form as he led Sunderland Harriers to victory in the veterans' relay. His third-leg run of 10 mins 56 secs was 16 seconds inside the old mark as the Wearsiders, the defending champions, beat Morpeth Harriers by a huge 80 seconds.

Darlington Harrier Bernadette Taylor comfortably retained her senior women's title.

Taylor, who won the North-East half marathon championship for the second year in a row at Redcar earlier this month, was too fast for former North-East Harrier League champion Claire Simpson, leaving her rival at the halfway mark to surge on to a 16 seconds success. But Simpson had the consolation of leading Jarrow and Hebburn to team victory, with Darlington having to settle for the bronze medals behind runners-up Elswick.

* Over 700 entries have been received for the inaugural North Tyneside 10K tomorrow between The Parks Sports Centre, North Shields, and St Mary's Island car park. The race starts at 9.30.

Elswick Harriers Good Friday Road Races (Newburn Riverside Park).

Senior Men (4x2.25m): 1 Morpeth 44.06 (D Samuels 10.36, A Lawrence 11.45, T Ranger 10.35, D Swinburne 11.10); 2 Gosforth 44.42 (L Timmins 11.02, D Graham 11.16, P Hutton 11.21, M Nicholson 11.03); 3 Elswick 45.59; 4 Gateshead 46.02; 5 Chester-le-Street 46.02.

Veteran Men (4x2.25m): 1 Sunderland 47.51 (G Harden 12.21, G Forster 12.38, B Rushworth 10.56, S Coxon 11.56); 2 Morpeth 49.11; 3 Elswick 49.18.

Under-17 Men (2.25m): 1 J Martin (Sund) 11.16; 2 J Young (Morp) 11.19; 3 S Hall (Gateshead) 11.28; 4 S Watson (Gates) 11.32; 5 R Floyd (Morp) 11.39. Teams: 1 Morpeth 14; 2 Gateshead A 15; 3 Gateshead B 32.

Under-15 Boys (2.25m): 1 R Murray (Gates) 11.58; 2 S Potter (North Shields Poly) 12.06; 3 M Cochrane (Morp) 12.07; 4 T Perrins (Gates) 12.10; 5 J Gibson (Gates) 12.12. Teams: 1 Gateshead 10; 2 St Cuthberts High School 28; 3 Morpeth 37.

Under-13 Boys (1.8m): 1 T Venus (Tynedale) 9.30; 2 N Reed (Sund) 9.40; 3 L Wintrip (Sund) 9.55; 4 G Urwin (Tyne) 10.05; 5 D Gallagher (Gosforth) 10.14. Teams: 1 Sunderland 20; 2 Morpeth 28; 3 Gosforth 36.

Senior/U17 Women (2.25m): 1 B Taylor (Darlington) 12.39; 2 C Simpson (Jarrow & Hebburn) 12.55; 3 M Ferrier (Gateshead U17) 12.58; 4 A Gibson (Elswick) 12.59; 5 D James (Morp U17) 13.00. Teams: 1 Jarrow & Hebburn 21; 2 Elswick 26; 3 Darlington 32.

Under-15 Girls (1.8m): 1 S Smith (Tyne) 10.01; 2 L Weightman (Morp) 10.02; 3 G Rutherford (NSP) 10.24; 4 R Adams (Morp) 10.25; 5 A Jessett (Unatt) 10.28. Teams: 1 Morpeth 11; 2 Gosforth 34; 3 North Shields Poly 37.

Under-13 Girls (1.8m): 1 S Smith (Tyne) 10.44; 2 S Loraine (Birtley) 10.59; 3 Z Armstrong (Morp) 11.07; 4 S Goodfellow (Morp) 11.21; 5 R Oldham (Gates) 11.22. Teams: 1 Morpeth 15; 2 Gosforth 33; 3 Jarrow & Hebburn 38.