WOODFORD Green's men won the London City Runner Metropolitan League seeing off Shaftesbury and Barnet Harriers in an exciting finale to the season at Horsenden Hill.

The women's team closed four in ten, but were narrowly beaten on the day by Garden City Runners, finishing the season as runners-up to Highgate Harriers.

The men approached the fixture with a healthy 186 point lead, but the team sheet was much depleted as injury sapped the squad.

Kev Murphy powered through the marshes for a fine fifth after upping his training schedule.

After recent knee problems that have affected his training, Mark Burgess was pleased with his 12th, and he held off the usual mighty sprint from Matt Shone, 14th. Bertie Powell, 24th, was only 30 seconds behind that duo and went top of the club's consistency competition in Angus Holford's absence. Dougie McKenzie, 33rd, ran well after long-term injury and Chris Brogan's 39th was of immense value.

Eighteen-year-old Craig Berg, 45th, finished just two seconds ahead of Paul Manson, 47th, with Johnny Wallis 48th, Paul Major 57th, CJ Shephard 58th and Richard Holland, having recovered from a broken collar bone, closing the team out in 65th.

Shaftesbury scored 2,165 on the day, but Woodford's 2,119, made the final league results Woodford 14,690 to Shaftesbury's 14,550.

The women's race saw a debut by Jessica Macrory and a sprint finish involving four Woodford girls, separated by just seven seconds.

Track specialist Charlotte Cutler was first home in seventh, with MacCrory next, followed by Kira Morser.

Diana Kennedy's tenth place in such exalted company was very impressive, having never previously finished above 25th, while Essex U20 champion Kavita Solder recorded her best-ever placing of 29th.

Woodford's 405 points gave them a season score of 2,869 to Highgate's 3,228.