SOUTHAMPTON AC's track and field team scored a comprehensive victory in the men's Southern Counties Veterans' League Final at The Julie Rose Stadium, Ashford.

After retaining the Hampshire League crown with an unbeaten season, hopes were high of challenging for the Southern title - and they did not disappoint.

M35 Andrew Sheerin and M50 Andy Turner got things started, scoring well for hammer fourth and second with 30.15 and 36.66 metres respectively.

Herne Hill, champions of the Mid London League, set the tone for their title defence with maximum hammer and 800m points.

But Southampton's assistant team manager David Blackman (2 mins 13.92 secs) and Steve Marcer also scored well over two laps to keep in touch with the early pacesetters - the latter recording a big lifetime best (2.12.93).

M50 Jon Grainger (2.21.19) was just pipped to the post in his 800m but made no mistake in the 1500m, timing his long run for home to reverse the places with the Herne Hill athlete.

Marcer and Blackman combined again for the M35 1500m with fourth (4.36.20) and second (4.42.04) respectively.

Sidney DeLara, in his first season in the M60 category, finished runner-up in the 1500m (5.26.55) and, within minutes, was adding more points, finishing second in his first ever high jump event (1.20).

M35 Darren Clissold and M50 Michael Coker also scored well in the high jump, finishing second (1.40) and third (1.35) respectively. Coker also came an excellent third in M50 triple jump (9.75).

M35 Mark West kept the points coming with excellent long and triple jump victories (5.76/10.70). M50 Derek Warn was long jump runner-up with 5.02, missing his personal best by two centimetres.

The tide really turned in Southampton's favour as Clissold and Warn took maximum pole vault points with clearances of 2.90 with no Herne Hill vaulters in attendance.

Back on the track, M35 Ian Matt was fifth in the A 100m (13.33) with West winning the B string (12.72). M50 Jon Tilt finished a very close third (12.85) and M60 Vic Novell ran very well for runner-up spot (13.93).

Matt was fifth again in the M35 200m (26.73 personal best) with Simon Ciaravella taking B second (26.23). World Masters silver medallist Tilt took victory with ease in the M50 category (25.48).

The points came thick and fast in the field with excellent wins for M35 Graham Lay in the shot (12.28) and javelin (40.10) and M50 javelin man Steve Dobson scoring well with 28.93.

M60 Mike Ferne, ranked second in the country for his age, took maximum points in the shot (9.89) and discus (42.59).

Again Turner fared well with fourth in shot (10.74) and discus (33.10), while Sheerin took M35 discus fourth (28.65).

M35s Dan Hunt and Andy Griggs combined for fourth (9.21.38) and second (9.26.38) over 3,000m, with M50 Pete Costley placing third (10.33.49).

Debutant Wayne Vincent, a Middlesex walking champion in his younger days, finished a brilliant second in the M50 two-kilometre walk (12.21.58) with M35 Andy Morgan-Lee also runner-up in 12.49.97.

With Southampton nearly 30 points ahead and with one hand on the trophy, there was no letting up from the men in red and white as West (56.22) and Ciaravella (57.18) finished second and first in the A/B 400m.

Tilt stormed to victory in the M50 400m (57.82), his favoured event of the day, while M60 Novell added more points with fourth in the 400m (72.49) and long jump third (3.92).

In the relays Matt, Ciaravella, Westy and Tilt were pipped on the line by Hercules Wimbledon in the 4x100m and had to settle for second.

But the 4x400m provided the perfect end to a perfect day as Southampton led from gun to tape to spark celebratory cheers from the team and supporters.

Match result: Southampton 250 points, Herne Hill 213.5, Hercules Wimbledon 185, Cambridge Harriers 179.5, Dartford Harriers 169.5, Abingdon 163.5, Barnet & District 53.