READING Athletic Club’s U17 men secured an excellent third place in the Southern Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill Fields in London – despite the loss of their two leading runners.

The team of Sam Rodda, Eddie Steveni, Nick Wiltshire and Harry Roe performed superbly in their 6km race, overcoming the absence of Matt Rawlings – who could be out for the season – and Chey Blatchford-Kemp.

Rodda put in a great effort to catch and pass Steveni late in the race, as they finished 27th and 28th in recording 20m 33secs and 20:36.

Wiltshire, returning from injury himself, came 36th in 20:49, while Roe’s strong running in the final stages gained the places that secured the medals, as he recorded 21:02 in 41st position.

Reading’s total of 132 left them just two points ahead of Ipswich, although some way behind Tonbridge and Aldershot. Outside the scoring four, Max Martin battled well to finish in 22:18, and Marcus Cleare’s persistence saw him clock 25:18.

The U15s took a creditable 14th from 36 teams in their 4.5km race, with Ben Rollings again Reading’s leading runner in 51st place with a time of 16:04.

The dependable Joseph Mott also ran strongly for 73rd in 16:30, and the scoring team was completed by Leon Bradshaw (136th in 17:10) and Mattie Raynor (149th in 17:18).

Of the non-scoring runners, Olly Moor (17:53), Alfie McGlennon (18:43), Jensen Bale (18:50) and Sam Kral-Waters (19:25) all competed with commendable persistence.

Reading’s U13s did well to claim 20th in their 3km race.

They were led home as expected by Berkshire champion Reuben Henry-Daire, who finished 66th in 12:07.

Next home for Reading was Ben McCabe, who ended 163rd in 12:51, and the scoring team was completed by Laurie Baker (174th in 12:57) and Charlie Shaw (191st in 13:11).

The youngest member of the team, Harry Moor, ran with great persistence to finish in 14:20.