WHILE last year's merger of Southampton City and Team Solent has had a positive effect on the women's and young athletes' sections, the senior men continue to disappoint.

The apathy among Team Southampton's top male track and fielders intensified last weekend with at least half-a-dozen of their accomplished A-team members unavailable for the British League Division 4 trip to Derby.

Southampton now find themselves propping up the division with just four league points from their first two fixtures and are in grave danger of slipping out of the league.

It's a far cry from the days when the old Team Solent were rubbing shoulders with the big boys in the British League Division 1.

"It was a familiar story of 'if only'," reflected joint team manager Terese Swain.

"With at least six of the A-team members unavailable for different reasons, we find ourselves bottom of the league.

"We can only hope that the athletes will turn out for our home match.

"We could easily be in the top three if only the athletes would compete.

"The B-team athletes who travelled to Derby were a credit to the club and produced some very good, gutsy performances."

It is now vital Team Southampton get a full turnout for their home fixture on Saturday, June 25, at Southampton Sports Centre.

Match result: Derby 345.5, Southend 335, Swansea 304.5, Kingston 265, Norwich 264, Medway 238, Swindon 236, Team Southampton 207.

League points: Southend 15, Derby 14, Swansea 10, Medway 10, Kingston 7, Swindon 7, Norwich 5, Team Southampton 4.

TEAM SOLENT PERFORMANCES:

100m: A 4 Will MacGee 11.5, B 2 Darren Wall 11.5

200m: A 2 Ben Richardson 23.2, B 1 Will MacGee 23.1

400m: A 7 Darryn Campbell 50.8, B 3 Simon Ciaravella 51.6

800m: A 7 Russell Osborn 2.01.7, B 7 Jon Slade 2.13.5

1,500m: A 3 Russell Osborn 4.01.4, B 7 Gareth Klepacz 4.29.6

5,000m: A 4 Owain Jones 15.41.1

110m hurdles: A 2 Ben Richardson 16.2, B 8 Adam Richardson 24.0

400m hurdles: A 7 Simon Ciaravella 65.5, B 6 Jon Slade 62.8

4x100m relay: 8 Team Southampton (Ben Richardson, Snaith, Wall, MacGee) 49.0

4x400m relay: 4 Team Southampton (Ciaravella, Filer, Wall, Campbell) 3.28.0

High jump: A 7 Kelvin Snaith 1.75, B 6 Jon Slade 1.70

Long jump: A 7 Chris Bull 5.69, B 7 Graham Filer 5.31

Triple jump: A 8 Chris Bull 12.13, B 7 Ben Richardson 10.50

Discus: A 1 Nick Iliffe 48.29, B 3 Adam Richardson 32.56

Hammer: A 5 Adam Richardson 35.21, B 7 Nick Iliffe 21.62

Pole vault: A 8 Kelvin Snaith 2.50, B 6 Adam Richardson 2.30

Shot: A 2 Gary Sollitt 14.71, B 5 Adam Richardson 10.99