SOUTHAMPTON Running Club's men successfully lifted themselves to the top of the Hampshire Road Race League by getting 20 finishers home in the Great South Run at Southsea.

The club's international three and five-kilometre track specialist Rod Finch made his debut over 10 miles race to finish 11th in 51 minutes and 39 seconds, Mike Twomey was 23rd (53.57), Scott Macdonald 31st (56.02) and Steve Axom closed the A team in 67th (59.03).

The SRC men's B team packed in well behind the front squad, with Neil Hotson 101st (4th vet 40, 60.37), Mike Smith 109th (4th vet 50, 61.01), Paul Carter 123rd (vet 40, 62.01) and Alan Tulip 158th (vet 40, 63.02).

They were followed home by another dozen members headed by Martyn West 177th (vet 40. 63.52), Richie Pearson 289th (vet 50, 66.26), Dave Roots 440th (vet 40, 69.35), Paul Miller 543rd (71.03), Tony Brown 621st (vet 50, 72.24), Jon Cole 628th (72.30), Peter Staunton 795th (vet 40, 74.10), Terry Jones 886th (vet 40, 75.21), Bernard Bromby 2795th (vet 50 92.19) and Dave Whitmore 3275th (vet 40, 98.42). New SRC member Sally Diaper finished 1704th overall in 82.45.

Team Solent's talented group of under-15 youngsters took six of the top ten places in the junior event - Tommy Davies 2nd, Nick Hillier 3rd, Colin Light 4th, Ben Austin 5th, Tom Doran 7th and Paul Jatzsrebski 9th.