In photos: ​Lauderdale Limper Marc Wilkinson only Borderer in top five at Paxton cross-country series meeting

​Wilkinson – winner of one of the current series’ four rounds so far, at Spittal in December, and runner-up in another two, at Peebles and Lauder, both in November – clocked a time of 24 minutes and 17 seconds to finish fourth out of 250.

That was only a second behind third-placed Charles Houston, of Edinburgh’s Hunters Bog Trotters, and five slower than runner-up Julian Barrable, of the capital’s Corstorphine Athletics Club, but winner Tom Martyn got back a minute and a quarter ahead of that chasing pack in 22:59.

That was Martyn’s second success of the series as the Hunters Bog Trotters member also won at Lauder, in 26:15, 1:36 speedier than Wilkinson that time round.

Only one other Borderer made the top ten at Paxton’s meeting, organised by Northumberland’s Norham Running Club, and that was Teviotdale Harriers’ Rory Anderson, sixth in 25:11.

Three more made the top 20 – Gala Harriers Zico Field and Iain Stewart, respectively 12th in 26:09 and 20th in 26:42, and Lauderdale’s Gregor Ker, 14th in 26:16.

A further four achieved top-30 finishes – Gala’s Gary Trewartha clocking 26:53 for 22nd place, his clubmate Isla Paterson 27:43 for 29th, and also to get back first among the 98 female runners competing, and Teviotdale’s Mark Young and David Beattie 27:16 for 24th and 27:32 for 26th respectively.

Not too far behind them were Gala’s Jamie Mcgowan and Andrew Hewat, 31st in 28:10 and 40th in 28:55 respectively, and Moorfoot Runners’ Cameron Munro, 33rd in 28:34.

Moorfoot’s Carol Moss was first of 28 female finishers over the age of 50, and 76th overall, in 31:50.

Sunday’s junior race was won by Lasswade Athletic Club’s Rowan Taylor in a time of 9:25, with Edinburgh’s Dylan Daunt as runner-up in 9:45.

Four Borderers made the top ten of a field of 123 overall – Gala’s Archie Dalgliesh, Gregor Adamson and Seb Darlow, respectively fourth in 10:14, sixth in 10:38 and ninth in 10:53, and Lauderdale’s Sam Robertson, seventh in 10:43.

Moorfoot’s Thea Harris was one of only two Borderers among the top ten of the 66 girls contesting the junior race, finishing seventh, and 26th overall, in 12:15. The other was Gala’s Poppy Lunn, tenth, and 32nd all told, in 12:24.

The latest series is now at its midway point, with four more rounds to go, all on Sundays.

They’re being held on January 21 at Dunbar in East Lothian, February 4 at Galashiels, February 18 at Duns and March 10 at Denholm.