A BEST performance of the season has almost certainly saved Basingstoke and Mid-Hants women athletes from relegation in the southern league.

The Down Grange team played host to four other clubs in their final fixture.

The team, aided by a full turn-out of juniors, took second place with a total of 196.5 points, their highest division two tally of the season.

The afternoon got off to an excellent start, with a double win in the long jump. Tracy Joseph, in her first competition since the birth of her second child, won the A-string with a superb leap of 5.91 metres and the B-string was won by under-17 Lisa Mulholland, with a personal best 5.01m.

Meanwhile, on the field, Joan MacPherson was also setting a personal best (one of two during the afternoon) in the hammer with a winning throw of 44.45m, more than four metres clear of her nearest rival.

MacPherson and Donna Swatheridge scored maximum points in their specialist event, the discus. MacPherson went on to win the shot with a personal best distance of 12.82m.

Katy Watts came second in the B-string, before winning her specialist event, the javelin.

MacPherson was accompanied in the hammer by Anna Clarkson, who went on to complete a season's best in the pole vault of 1.80m.

Team mate Helena Tobin equalled the club record of 2.00m with her best vault before winning the A-strings of the 800m and 1500m, where team-mate Briony Crompton was the B-string winner.

Crompton had a busy afternoon. She was B-string second in both the under-17 80m hurdles and the 400m hurdles.

Maximum points were also gained in the 3,000m, where team manager Andrea Keough won the A-string and Linda Purves the B. A double win was also achieved in the 400m, through Claire Robinson and Tracy Cornell.

Gemma Hillyard took second places in the under-17 300m hurdles and the high jump.

Amy Harris contested the A-strings of the 400m hurdles and the 100m hurdles, placing fourth and third respectively.

Melanie Kirk joined Harris in the sprint hurdles to record third place in a season's best 18.8sec and also picked up valuable points in the triple jump, where she was accompanied by Catherine Fraser.

Ria Lewis, Helen Booker and Karen Rogers completed the sprints squad, and also helped out with the relays, bringing the afternoon to an exciting climax when Lewis, Harris, Rogers and Robinson brought the team home in first place.

Team manager Keough was grateful to Debbie Gratton for running the B-string 800m at short notice, picking up valuable team points.

In the junior events, Christina Carding had a busy afternoon, contesting all the throws, winning her specialist event, the discus, and recording second places in the shot and javelin.

Carding was accompanied in the throws by Keeley Tanner, and Jo Pett, who was also third in the 100m and second in the 200m.

Zoe Hillyard and Sophie Skelton both took part in high jump, long jump and 75m hurdles, with Skelton placed second in all three events and Hillyard taking three third places.

Amelia Stead and Becky Sleap ran the 800m, taking third and second places respectively, Stead went on to contest the B-string 200m and to help the sprint relay squad to fourth place.

The junior team was completed by Helen Lees and Lucy Gratton who both took third place in the 1500m.

Lisa Mulholland was named Southern League Woman Athlete of the Year for her outstanding contributions throughout the season in her first year of senior competition.

Points: Horsham 207, Basingstoke 196.5, Newquay 166, Worthing 153.5, Huntingdon 116.