Oxfordshire's runners found it tough going at the Aviva ESAA English Schools’ Cross Country Championships at Wollaton Park, Nottingham.

With Beth Swords (Headington) and Melissa Hawtin (Gosford Hill, Kidlington), who posted top-ten finishes last year, both injured, Oxon fielded a depleted squad.

Connie McMillan (War-riner, Bloxham) produced the county’s best result.

Racing over a 3.8k course at the parkland venue, she finished a highly-creditable 22nd of the 337 finishers in the intermediate girls’ event in 13mins 38secs.

Gemma Bridge (St Helen & St Katharine, Abingdon) also appreciated the dry underfoot conditions to take 36th spot in the senior girls’ race over 4.1k in 15.54.

Victoria Mobley (Tudor Hall, Banbury) led the way for Oxfordshire in the junior girls’ race over 3.5k, finishing 55th in 13.34.

Despite being understrength, Oxon’s girls put up a spirited defence of the R Brown Trophy in the aggregate points competition for counties with a school population of less than 60,000, finishing fourth 129 points behind winners Bedfordshire.

Christian von Eitzen (European, Culham) produced Oxfordshire’s best boys’ result with 70th place in the junior race over 4.1k in 14.48.

OXON RESULTS Boys Senior: 149 S Jones (Abingdon) 23.48, 228 S Ferguson (Chipping Norton) 24.44, 233 J Cornish (King Alfred’s) 24.47, 236 L Terry (Abingdon) 24.50, 243 E Nesbitt (Wallingford) 24.58, 272 J Humphreys (Chipping Norton) 25.41, 312 D Moseley (Marlborough) 28.46. Team: 39 Oxon 1,361pts.

Intermediate: 113 M Marshall (Cherwell) 19.33, 166 B Upjohn (Matthew Arnold) 19.57, 200 W Macke (Wood Green) 20.17, 218 J Bowness (Magdalen College School) 20.25, 238 T Kelly (Abingdon) 20.33, 320 O Stepney (Marlborough) 22.20. Team: 43 Oxon 1,255pts.

Junior: 70 C von Eitzen (European) 14.48, 120 J Currah (Henry Box) 15.08, 124 M Fabes (Abingdon) 15.10, 171 T Curtis (Abingdon) 15.25, 303 E Morton (Gillotts) 16.27, 312 D Herron (St Birinus) 16.37, 320 H Macke (Wood Green) 16.44. Team: 33 Oxon 1,100pts.

Team aggregate (for counties with a school population of less than 60,000): 13 Oxon 3,716pts.

Girls Senior: 36 G Bridge (St Helen & St Katharine) 15.54, 64 J Walker (Cheney) 16.19, 73 B Warne (Oxford High) 16.28, 126 A Brooker (Cokethorpe) 17.07, 257 M Weller Jones (St Helen & St Katharine) 19.17, 288 L McIvor (Oxford High) 22.40. Team: 24 Oxon 844pts.

Intermediate: 22 C McMillan (Warriner) 13.38, 64 L Hawtin (Gosford Hall) 14.07, 123 C Parker (St Helen & St Katharine) 14.37, 163 S Lloyd (King Alfred’s) 14.54, 179 M Warne (Oxford High) 15.01, 262 E Clarke (Gosford Hill) 15.36, 298 B James (Our Lady’s) 16.00. Team: 19 Oxon 813pts.

Junior: 55 V Mobley (Tudor Hall) 13.34, 69 L Hindley (Headington) 13.38, 95 E Evans (Cokethorpe) 13.48, 116 M Humphries (Chip-ping Norton) 13.55, 127 B Hawtin (Gosford Hill) 13.59, 224 B Mulvany (Matthew Arnold) 14.29, 251 A Wright (Lord Williams’s), 312 A Mobley (Tudor Hall) 14.59. Team: 15 Oxon 686pts.

Team aggregate (for counties with a school population of less than 60,000): 4 Oxon 2,343pts.