ANGUS Maclean demonstrated why he has been earmarked as a future world class performer by UK Athletics by lifting his first senior title over 1500 metres at the Norwich Union AAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham.

But, though it was a major feather in the 20-year-old's cap, coach Rod Lock believes the youngster still has a lot of growing up to do with regards to tactics.

Having put on a bold display of front-running for five and a half laps, the Team Solent man was punished for an overdose of confidence when Blackheath's Michael Skinner overtook him - and accidentally spiked him into the bargain.

Maclean redeemed himself with a gutsy last 30 metres, dipping over the line just ahead of his rival, but Lock believes he made life unnecessarily difficult for himself.

"Angus did the same thing at the English Schools Championships a couple of years ago, only that time he led all the way and ended up coming third," the coach recalled. "Once again he was guilty of relaxing too much at Birmingham, but I think he'll have learned from it. He was towing them round, but just switched off and Skinner thought he'd go past.

"Unfortunately, as Angus accelerated to go with him, his shin made contact with Skinner's spike, leaving him with a nasty gash on his shin. He stumbled slightly and it looked as if it was going to be difficult for him to catch back up."

With many of the country's leading lights missing, Maclean started the race as fastest on paper and his winning time was some eight seconds short of qualification for the World Championships in Lisbon.

"It won't rock the world - but for this time of year it was a great result for Angus," said Lock. "It's the first 1500m he's run since early September and we hadn't really done the work for it. The competition wasn't as strong as it might have been, but you can only beat the ones who are there."

Maclean's victory has earned the Southampton University medical student a call-up for the home countries indoor international at Cardiff on February 11 - his first senior international vest. Long-term, his sights are set on July's European Under-23 Championships in Amsterdam.

Another Team Solent athlete to make the medal podium was pole vaulter Clare Ridgley who took silver behind Great Britain number one Janine Whitlock with a 3.50 clearance.

Clubmate Gary Sollitt finished fifth in the men's shot with 16.40, following up his recent success at the South of England Championships in Bedford where he struck gold with 16.33. Simon Fricker - a silver medallist at Bedford (14.48) - came 12th in the AAAs with 14.55.

There was disappointment at Birmingham for the area's two women's 800m hopes. Andover's Emma Davies (2.09.47) and new Team Solent signing Lorraine Phillips (2.08.13) both crashed out despite finishing second in their heats.

"It was a bit rough on the pair of them that there were five heats with just the winners and one fastest loser to go through," said Team Solent chairman/sprint coach Mike Smith. "I would have thought that, rather than run the heats in lanes, they could have had seven or eight in each race with the first two going through."

l Team Solent's Jon Goodwin won 800m silver at the Scottish Indoor Championships in Glasgow, clocking 1.55.09.

Pick of the local AAA performances

Women

Clare Ridgley (Team Solent) 2nd pole vault final 3.50

Melanie Purkiss (Team Solent) 5th 60m heats 7.76; 3rd 200m heats 24.53, 5th semi-final 24.72

Charmaine Turner (Team Solent) 16th triple jump 11.15

Lorraine Phillips (Team Solent) 2nd 800m heats 2.08.13

Emma Davies (Andover) 2nd 800m heats 2.09.47

Camilla Waite (Andover) 10th 1500m 4.54.50

Antonia Bemrose (Aldershot, Farnham & District) 6th high jump 1.65

Kelly Sotherton (Birchfield) 2nd long jump 5.94; 4th 60m hurldes heats 8.68

Katy Sketchley (Team Solent) 7th 60m hurdles heats 9.28

Men

Angus Maclean (Team Solent) 1st 1500m final 3.48.02

Gary Sollitt (Team Solent) 5th shot 16.40

Simon Fricker (Team Solent) 12th shot 14.55

Jamie Henthorn (Team Solent) 3rd 60m heats 6.95, 6th semi-final 6.92; 2nd 200m heats 21.77, 2nd semi-final 21.37

Essop Merrick (Woodford Green) 5th long jump 6.90; 2nd 60m heats 7.00, 8th semi-final 7.05

Tim O'Dell (Woodford Green) 5th 200m heats 22.66

Matt Still (Basingstoke & Mid Hants) 3rd 200m heats 22.47, 5th semi-final 22.65

Colin Wilson (Southampton University) 4th 60m heats 6.92, 7th semi-final 6.91