Fielding a weakened team due to holidays, work commitments and injuries, the match quickly became daunting for Wakefield when multi-eventer Matthew Gillard was injured in the first round of the pole vault, which necessitated a reshuffle of athletes to cover the other events.

Matthew was unable to carry on in that event, but the team responded magnificently, generating a team spirit that other teams found hard to comprehend.

Wakefield had only two winners on the day, with John Uridge winning the A triple jump with 12.21m and Paul Sutcliffe wining the B javelin event with 39.35m.

Craig Heppenstall, home from college, competed in the first match and scored valuable points with a excellent second in the A 800m (2:00.9), a third in the A 1500m, and a second in the B triple jump with 11.02m. He rounded off the day with the fastest leg in the 4x400m relay.

In addition to the javelin event Paul Sutcliffe was second in the A discus with 36.09 and third in the hammer with 38.89.

Chris Carleton, still not 100 per cent fit, nevertheless performed well with a third place in the hammer (23.32m), third in the B javelin (39.72) and a good second in the B shot putt with 10.99m.

In spite of his injury Matthew Gillard was able to complete in a reduced number of events and he contributed valuable points with a third in the B discus (32.56m), a fourth in the A shot putt (11.47) and a fifth in the A pole vault.

Older squad member Jon Howey gained valuable points by competing in the 110 hurdles, 400m hurdles A, high jump A and 3000m steeplechase.

Former International athlete Alan Slack returned to competition in the high jump while showing some of his old form by running a leg in the 4x400m relay.

Club treasurer Terry White made his debut on the track by competing in the 5000m B event and finished fourth in a creditable time of 17:33.3. Running in the A event, Robert Whitworth was fifth in 17.27.

Wakefield's younger members Richard Higson-Blythe, Paul Newman, Steve Thorpe, Mark Ainsworth, Patrick McTigue and James Lloyd did well in their respective events. scoring valuable points to contribute to Wakefield's overall total.

Match result: 1st Lincoln Wellington, 2nd Doncaster and Stainforth, 3rd Scunthorpe, 4th Wakefield, 5th Grantham, 6th Barnsley