Medway and Maidstone pushed table-topping Bexley hard in the latest UK Youth Development League, Division 3 fixture at Erith on Saturday, writes Alan Newman.

Bexley (671 points) were put under pressure by M&M (612) as Lewes (486), Hastings (475), Worthing (420.5), East Grinstead (396.5), Holland Sports (359) and Medway Park Phoenix (209) trailed the promotion hopefuls.

Kaliyah Young (10.4sec) and Connie Lamplough (11.0) made the perfect start in the under-13 75m sprints and Maisie Rixon took the under-13 150m (21.2). Lamplough later took the 70m hurdles (12.1) while Joshua Oshunrinde (11.8) ran a PB to win the under-15 100m.

Maximum points came from the under-13 800m through PBs of Bashiri Ryan (2min27.2sec) and Hamish Reilly (2.33.0) and in the under-15 1,500m with Quinn Austin (4.30.3) and Reegan Archer (4.31.2 PB).

Emily Featherstone (11.9 PB) and Lauren Farley (13.9) dominated the under-15 75m hurdles and there were no barriers to the success of Isaac Milham in the under-15 80m hurdles (11.6).

M&M quartets also enjoyed wins in the under-15 boys’ 4x100m (48.5) and under-13 girls’ 4x100m (55.9).

The girls’ high jump proved to be the most lucrative event as all four M&M athletes soared to first places. The under-13 winners were Rixon (1.33m) and Young (1.30) and the under-15s were Ashleigh West (1.64) and Lucy Maunders (1.35).

Featherstone (4.95) and Zara Edeleanu (4.52) took both strings of the under-15 long jump and Young’s personal best (4.12) secured another maximum in the under-13 event, while Hollie Newman (6.87 PB) went clear of the field in the under-13 shot for the best result in the throws.