AFTER a brilliant track season, Southampton AC’s attention turned to the Southern Six-Stage Road Relays at Aldershot.

The club contested all age-groups with the senior men and women once again qualifying for the finals to be held at Sutton Park, Birmingham, in a fortnight’s time.

The men’s first team were 13th out of 72 teams – the highlight being Matt Bennett’s opening leg of 18 minutes and 32 seconds, just outside the top-20 individual times of the day.

Bennett turned out for the club even though his legs had not quite recovered from winning the Purbeck Marathon seven days earlier.

He was well backed by Tim Spencer, Matthew Revier, Chris Hilton, Jamie Knapp and Matt Hibberd.

Alex Wall-Clarke clocked the swiftest leg for the 48th-placed men’s B team. Along with Abdi Mahamed and Lucas Clements, Wall-Clarke was making his senior debut after moving up from the under-17s. Gareth Klepacz, Max Costley and Alex Prinsep completed the team.

The C team were 52nd with lead-out man Martin Johnson the quickest. He was followed by Richard Waldron, Steve Marcer, Russell Osborn, Tom Johnson and Graeme Browne-Martin.

Southampton’s over-40 vets were seventh out of 32 teams. James Allen ran a superb first leg to record the day’s 11th quickest individual age-group time. Offering support were Emyr Morgan, Dave Blackman and Jim Bennett.

Bennett was one of two family generations to run in the event after daughter Izzy had run the day before.

The Costley family provided four competitors with mum, dad and two sons taking part. The over-50 vets came eighth from 18 – leg three runner Jon Grainger the quickest, backed by Paul Johnson, Rob Thompson and Pete Costley.

Eight teams finished the over-60s vets race, with Southampton sixth. Neil Hotson was the swiftest in the lead-out role, followed by Jon Mace, Ed Connolly and Coach Pete Haynes.

Southampton’s A women finished 12th out of 59 teams with Laura Brenton, fresh from a marvellous track season, posting the 19th quickest individual time of the day. Ellie Monks, Rachel Evans and Rachel Ayerst also ran well.

The B women of Karen Rushton, Zoe West, Catriona Witcombe and team manager Nicci Blandford were 28th with all four recording similar times.

In the younger age-groups, Southampton demonstrated what the future holds in store.

The under-17 men and under-15 boys were seventh and under-13 boys 24th.

The Mohamed brothers shone brightly with Mo posting the fastest time of the day for the under-17s and Zak fifth fastest for the under-15s, despite being bottom of the age-group.

Joseph Wales, Sam Costley and Luke Powell made up the rest of the under-17 men’s team, while Zak was backed by Max Satterly, Jack Higgins and Patrick Whelan.

The under-17 women were 16th out of 44 teams. The team was made up of Alana Spiers, Anna Sharp and the quickly improving Hannah Polden.

The U15 girls (Holly Powell, Izzy Bennett and Emily Blount) came 52nd out of the 74, the under-13 boys (Leon Longhurst, Toby Hale, Oliver Thatcher, Ben Williams) 24th out of 41 and the under-13 girls (Isabel Richardson, Ciara Blount, Poppy Wright) 12th out of 67.

“Once again the club showed its strength in depth and we are looking forward to a great cross-country season,” said Southampton AC president Tony Fern.