DUDLEY Kingswinford Running Club’s men secured their survival in the second division of the Birmingham Cross Country League.

Going into the final fixture fourth from bottom, they were on the fringes of relegation and needed another solid performance to better Amazing Feet who filled the final relegation place in 15th.

There was only six-and-a-half miles around Coundon Park in Coventry to complete but despite the club being hit with injury and unavailability the blue hoops were still hoping to field a strong team.

Stuart Perkins was first back for DK in 52nd place in 41.59, Rich Bate came home in 43.08 to take 74th place, Darran Bishop was 92nd in 44.02, Simon Hughes finished in 99th in 44.18, Rob Sannwald was 125th in 45.41 despite a knee injury and Simon Blizzard completed the A team scorers in 134th in 46.18.

The first six scorers totalled their best score of the season with 579 points.

Mark Homer was home in 135th, in 46.24, Kevin Duckworth finished in 156th in 47.55, nursing a damaged hamstring around the final lap, Steve Parr was 189th in 50.18, Andrew Weaver was 199th in 51.06, Richard Jones was 213th in 52.22 and Rory Campbell completed the scorers in 215th in 53.00.

The results were enough as DK maintained their 14th place in style with a comfortable gap between them and the three relegated teams, Amazing Feet, Sparkhill Harriers and Staffordshire Moorlands.

While the men were in Coventry, the ladies were down the road in Warwick to complete their season, but again were missing some of their regular scorers.

On a bleak afternoon Karen Doy was first over the line for DK in 69th place in 27.59 just holding off Hannah McGuire who finished a place and a single second behind, Jacqui Elson-Whittaker was 112th in 30.22, Jane Campbell and Lucy Elwell had an epic battle finishing with the same time of 32.29 in 143rd and 144th respectively, Sue Payton was 151st in 33.08, Cilla Harding was 184th in 35.43 and Sarah Krivosic finished in 43.28 in 223rd place.