JAMES BAKER took advantage of the lull between a heavy batch of league races to win the Lordshill 10 mile road race on Sunday.

The Chichester AC runner posted an excellent time of 54.26 in near perfect conditions to finish almost three minutes clear of his nearest rival.

That was City of Ports-mouth's David Thomson, who crossed the line in 57.05 to be first home in the Vets 40 category.

Graham Bun-gay's third place in a personal best time of 57.38 ensured that Southampton Running Club continued their long sequence of team wins in the Lordshill Road Runners -organised event.

Indeed, there were a number of personal bests among the SRC club runners over a course that is not renowned for fast times.

Peter Costley was 11th in 60.58 (3rd vet 40), Graeme McRobert 15th in 62.50, Ian Richardson 17th in 63.11 (1st vet 50) and Adam Bridge 24th in 64.38 (12th vet 40).

Graeme Rasmussen was fourth overall for the South-West Road Runners in 58.24.

In the women's race, the unattached Gemma Fiddes took line honours in 63.28 - some six minutes clear of the field.

The battle for second was keenly-contested, however, as both Sarah Rhimes (Eastleigh RC) and Sally Gilbert (Team Southampton) were also fighting out the prize for first Vet 45 home.

In the end, Rhimes managed to pull clear by over a minute in 69.08 with Gilbert posting 70.13.

Eastleigh also ran off with the women's team prize with three scores counting - behind Rhimes were Donna Tew in ninth in 74.03 and Sonia Rushby in 23rd in 83.18.

Southampton Running Club's Nicci Blandford lopped two minutes off her best time with 70.40 for fourth place overall.