SOUTHAMPTON AC’s men turned in an improved performance to finish sixth in their second British Athletics League Premiership match at London's Lee Valley.

An extremely strong track contingent proved that, on their day, the team are more than a match for any other club.

But in the field, last-minute injuries and non-availability thwarted Southampton’s drive for a top-four finish.

A traditional flying start saw dynamic 400m hurdles duo James Forman (51.40 seconds) and Sean Adams (52.84) grab a brace of second places with season’s best times.

The hurdlers provided the momentum for the south coast club to dominate proceedings on the oval circuit.

Southampton amassed 181.5 track points with only reigning Premiership champions, mighty Birchfield, getting anywhere near close with 164.

Half-milers Harry Fisher, A-string winner with 1 min 50 secs, and Abdi Mahamed, B-string fourth with a personal best (pb) 1.54.97, ran tactically astute races.

Fourth-placed steeplechaser Chris Hilton, who also deputised in the high jump at three minutes’ notice due to injury, improved his season's best to 9.44.28, while Max Costley made his season’s BAL debut and excelled with B-string second (9.55.25, pb).

Sprint hurdler Jack Major equalled his season’s best of 14.52 in a desperately close finish.

It was a busy day for Major, who had earlier run 10.94 in the A 100m. He later combined with Matthew Hewitt, Ryan Coles (who had already run a B 100m season’s best of 11.12) and Sean Foord as the sprint relay team ran a season’s best 42.60 for fourth.

Southampton’s jumpers found the going tough due to injuries. Junior Adam Jones cleared a season’s best 2.03 to finish equal seventh in the A-string after Matt Watson had injured his hamstring in the warm-up and withdrawn.

Jones also secured B-string fourth in the triple jump (12.79), matching the placing of A-stringer Chuko Cribb (14.71).

Lead pole vaulter Sam Bass-Cooper was fourth (4.53) and BAL debutant, 17-year-old Kieran Apps, handled the pressure well, soaring to 3.83 for B-string fourth.

Back on the track, Jonny Roberts destroyed his pb with 3.49.79 for a fighting A 1500m fourth, while cross-country international Alex Teuten enjoyed a useful speed workout with 3.52.96 in third.

GB junior international Oli Bromby tuned up for next week's European Under-20 Championships 100m trial with a 21.51-second 200m outing. Training partner Alex Beechey was just outside his season’s best with 21.60 for B runners-up spot.

In the longest race of the day, the 5000m, fit-again Matt Revier made a welcome return to BAL action with 14.59.68, supported by Alex Wall-Clarke who came B runner-up in 15.03.34.

The youngest member of the team, Lynden Olowe, propelled himself into the UK junior 400m top ten with a massive pb of 48.51. His B-string fifth spot matched that of wing man Ben Claridge (A, 47.54).

In the throws, the strength of the larger teams told. But the prolific Patrick Swan coped well with a nine-hour journey from his Truro home the previous day to throw consistently in the shot, discus and hammer.

Matt Callaway (discus, 38.54) and Kevin Acraman (hammer, 43.48 pb) provided great back-up.

On a difficult day for all the javelin throwers, Dominic Allen (53.21) and James Bougourd (51.46) were unfortunate not to place higher.

Fittingly, after such a dominant track display, the men in red and white left their best ’til last.

The 4x400m quartet of Ben Claridge (47.7), James Forman (47.3), Harry Fisher (47.7) and anchor Sean Adams (48.7) chopped a massive 4.5 seconds from the club record set by a slightly different team in the previous match.

They clocked 3.11.31 to finish a close second to a Thames Valley team packed with international standard runners.

With the team getting stronger all the time, the third match at Bedford on July 15 provides every prospect of continued progress towards the tough goal of Premiership survival.

Match result: Birchfield Harriers 308, Shaftesbury Barnet 304, Woodford Green & Essex Ladies 277, Thames Valley 276, Newham & Essex Beagles 274, Southampton 259.5, Sheffield & Dearne 248.5, City of Liverpool 209.

Standings after two matches: Birchfield Harriers 16, Newham & Essex Beagles 11, Woodford Green & Essex Ladies 11, Shaftesbury Barnet 10.5, Thames Valley 8.5, Sheffield & Dearne 8, Southampton 5, City of Liverpool 2.