HIGHGATE Harriers women remain on course for their eighth consecutive league title despite finishing second in their third Metropolitan League meeting of the season. The Harriers finished the day with 649 points...

HIGHGATE Harriers' women remain on course for their eighth consecutive league title despite finishing second in their third Metropolitan League meeting of the season.

The Harriers finished the day with 649 points, behind Woodford Green & Essex Ladies on 717, and they now sit behind the same opponents in the league with 2,066 points overall.

The next two meetings are at Stevenage on January 16, and the final one is at Perivale on February 13.

"Despite coming second at the Scrubs, I still feel sure Highgate Harriers will win the league for the eighth year in a row," said club spokesman Alastair Aitken.

Meanwhile, Highgate's veteran team remained top of the league with 644 points, ahead of Woodford Green & Essex Ladies on 597.

Svenja Abel ran well again for Highgate on Saturday, coming second in the field of 132 with a time of 21 minutes and 33 seconds, ahead of Shaftesbury's Rachel Felton in 20:45.

Esther Evans was fifth in 21:54, while Sarah Bailey was 20th in 23:02, and Astrid Wingler 29th in 23:58.

Highgate's other runners were Louise Croxon (49th in 25:33), Natasha Cendrowicz (54th in 25:45). Sonja Saqui was 61st, Fiona Maguire was 72nd, Sarah Chapman came in 89th and Sarah Duerden finished 101st.