“The race went exactly to plan,” said Goodman. “I enjoyed the slow early laps and let my pre-race nerves leave me. I got into some good running by 2km and was ready to push the pace with two laps to go.

“I knew the two Birchfield athletes would be the ones to beat and just kept an ear out for them when I hit the front. I’m very pleased to have held on for the win and take maximum points for the team.” 

Goodman’s effort delighted team manager Geoff Morphitis, who commented: “You could see from Richard’s celebration as he crossed the line just how much the win meant to him.

“Doing well for us gives him an additional lift – he doesn’t just run for himself, but for the club. We welcome his winning return to racing.”

Shaftesbury Harriers team-mate Emma Taylor, 18, threw 34.65m in the javelin, over a metre and a half further than her previous personal best. 

In only his first competition of the season following a period of injury, Gilad Nachshen won both of his U17 races at the Eastern Young Athletes League meeting at Hemel Hempstead, with 54.0 in the 400m and 2:05.0 in the 800m.

Brunel University sports scholar Sophie Dowson, 20, cleared 3.70m in the pole vault to win silver at the South of England senior championships at Bedford.

Eden Davis, also 20, of Herts Phoenix, travelled to Hungary to record a wind-assisted season’s best of 10.60 in reaching the final of the 100m at the Budapest Open.