NICK FRANCIS (Cambridge Harriers) may have won the event but Medway and Maidstone consolidated their overall team position in the third Kent Senior Men's League race held at Danson Park at the weekend. Francis was thoroughly at home on his local stamping ground at Bexley and ran away with the race for victory by 38 seconds, an exceptional margin at this level.

Blackheath Harriers turned out the big guns with Joe Mills (second) and Ray Smith (fourth) split by Barry Royden's fast finish for M&M. Huw Evans (Tonbridge) was a close fifth ahead of the youthful M&M pair, Andrew Thomas and Darren Mitchell.

A slightly off colour Gareth Williams (12th), was next home for M&M with support from Pat Curran (15th), Alan McDougall (16th), Tim Alexander (21st) and Geoff Baxter (28th) in prominent positions for the club that now leads the main league competition by just seven points from Blackheath Harriers.

The deciding match will be held on February 16 at Parkwood School, Swanley.

Results: 1 N Francis (Cambridge H) 30.24, 2 J Mills (Blackheath) 31.03, 3 B Royden (M&M) 31.04, 4 R Smith (Blackheath) 32.00, 5 H Evans (Tonbridge) 32.20, 6 A Thomas (M&M) 32.41, 7 D Mitchell (M&M) 32.50, 8 M Whittaker (Ashford) 32.53, 9 J Mays (Kent) 33.09, 10 J Murray (Blackheath) 33.10, 11 H Diaz (Kent) 33.21, 12 G Williams (M&M) 33.36, 13 D Castle (Tonbridge) 33.48, 14 A Knight (Cambridge H) 34.01, 15 P Curran (M&M) 34.03, 16 A McDougall (M&M) 34.05, 17 R Maddams (Ashford) 34.07, 18 C Knight (M&M) 34.09, 19 S Keywood (Tonbridge) 34.14, 20 S Marsden (Sevenoaks) 34.14.

Further M&M: 21 T Alexander 34.34, 28 G Baxter 35.12, 74 P Firmin 38.52, 84 I Whitmore 39.44, 89 I Hough 40.17, 93 B Fursey 40.27, 97 P Finn 40.37.

Teams: 1 M&M 28 points, 2 Blackheath Harriers 42, 3 M&M B 70, 4 Ashford AC 70, 5 Kent AC 78, 6 Tonbridge 81, 7 Cambridge Harriers 112, 8 Bexley 141, 9 Invicta East Kent 196, 10 Sevenoaks 200.

Overall positions: 1 M&M 274, 2 Blackheath Harriers 267, 3 Ashford AC 255, 4 Cambridge Harriers 244, 5 M&M B 237, 6 Tonbridge 234, 7 Kent AC 202, 8 Invicta East Kent 198, 9 Tonbridge 189, 10 Bexley 189.

Duodec (12 to score): 1 M&M 60, 2 Tonbridge 57, 3 Blackheath Harriers 53, 4 Cambridge Harriers 51, 5 Tunbridge Wells 46, 6 Bexley 45.