Mid-December lived up to its reputation of constant drizzle, but Hargroves Cycles RT riders Tim Dunford and Stuart Bowers emerged from the half-light of another wet day with their cyclo-cross skills unaffected by the dismal weather.

Dunford returned to the Newbury Show Ground for the second Didcot Phoenix meet of the season to win again with an even more dominating performance, while Bowers realised his ambition of a top ten placing in this year's National Trophy series by filling tenth spot in the fifth and final round of the season.

With last year's overall winner Barrie Clarke (Helly Hansen Giant) starting this race trailing Stuart Wearmouth (Science in Sport) by eight points, Bowers travelled to Rainham in Kent knowing competition would be intense, especially with the presence of a dozen Belgians adding an international flavour to the race.

Clarke was one of four who broke clear on the opening lap to dictate the pace.

Their fast start was too quick for Wearmouth and Bowers, and this put the pressure on the former who led the chase in defence of his overall lead. Though unable to keep up with Wearmouth, the Hargroves Cycles man was able to judge his effort better and though a little disappointed to drop behind last year's south of England champion, Jody Crawforth (Team Y2K), Bowers succeeded in holding on to tenth place.

Ahead of him, Nick Craig (Pertex) took three seconds out of Clarke to win the race in a sprint finish, but an exhausted Clarke had done just enough to win the series by three points from Wearmouth after the latter came within two seconds of catching Roger Hammond (Collstrop Palmans) for fifth.

Bowers' deficit of 3min 42sec was nearly a minute less than Dunford's winning margin over runner-up Tony Green (GA Cycles) in the Wessex League race at Newbury.

Described by race organiser, Eddie Yarker as being "in a class of his own", Dunford lapped all but four of the other 33 competitors and, as he built up his lead, interest switched to the promoting club's veteran star Les Lloyd. He looked set for third place until Green's teammate, Robin Wilmott, overhauled him on the last lap to complete another clean sweep for Southampton-based riders.

RESULTS:

Wessex Cyclo-cross League, Newbury: 1 T Dunford (Hargroves Cycles RT) 8 laps in 59m.43s, 2 A Green (GA Cycles) @ 4m.30s, 3 R Wilmott (GA Cycles) @ 4-54, 4 L Lloyd (Didcot Phoenix) @ 4-59, 5 P Scott (Swindon RC) @ 6-19, 6 J Mulkern (Mountain Bike Mania) @ 1 lap, 7 J Painton (Artisan RT), 8 A Foster (Andover Wheelers), 9 N Hillier (Dorset Rough Riders), 10 C Evans (Beyond Mountain Bikes).

Youth race: 1 J Gray (Swindon Wheelers) 3 laps in 28m.51s, 2 T Butt (Chapel Tri-Stars) @ 4-3, 3 J Green (GA Cycles) @ 1 lap.

Under-12s: 1 P Dibben (New Forest CC), 2 L Gray (Dorset Rough Riders), 3 J Dibben (New Forest CC).

Final National Trophy race, Rainham: 1 N Craig (Pertex) 8 laps in 56m.51s, 2 B Clarke (Helly Hansen Giant) @ 3s, 3 M Ellis (Ace RT) @ 9s, 4 R Hammond (Collstrop Palmans) @ 1m.20s, 5 S Wearmouth (Science in Sport) @ 1.22, 6 S Snodden (Ace RT) @ 2.25, 10 S Bowers (Hargroves Cycles RT) @ 3-42, 24 B Saunders (Hargroves Cycles) @ 7-55.

Final classification: 1 Clarke 204 pts, 2 Wearmouth 201, 3 Craig 166.