Despite missing eight regulars due to injury and the clash with the English Schools' event, Southend AC returned to winning ways in their Southern Men's League Division Two meeting at Brighton.

They totalled 128 points with Chelmsford second on 108.5 and, with two matches to go, are well set for promotion again.

Southend are now second in the table - just one point behind leaders Winchester.

The field eventers kept the points rolling in throughout. There were first places for Jamie Webb and Jason Fry in the A and B pole vault with 4.20m and 4.00 respectively.

Dave Condon enjoyed a hat-tricks of wins in the shot putt A (16.29), hammer A - a lifetime's best of 42.44 - and javelin B (45.04).

Gary Jenson won the A javelin with a single throw of 58.73 and gained additional points with second places in the B shot putt (10.53) and A discus (32.36).

Simon Thomas won the A high jump with 1.90 and also took the triple jump B and was second in the B long jump.

Neil Scrivener added high jump support, emerging victorious with 1.80 in the B having already won the A 400m hurdles in 59.4s.

On the track, Ian Sams won the 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles B strings with 18.4 and 62.1 respectively.

Mark Waine recorded 10m.06.8s - one of the fastest races of his career - in the A 3,000m steeplechase and Jon Weaver gave valuable support with an excellent 10.33.1 for second in the B.

Other notable showings included John Brown's double second in the A 100 and 200 metres (11.3 and 23.0), while Chris Craydon was second in the B 200 (24.1) with Colin Miles second in the A 1500m (4.16.6).

Southend are now preparing for a crunch match on Saturday week with top opposition including current third placed club Aldershot.

In Division Six at Chelmsford, the Southend team only had Ashford as effective opposition as one team pulled out and another had only three athletes in action.

Nonetheless, the Seasiders gave some encouraging performances in a team dominated by veteran members.

Outstanding was Phil Perry's tremendous winning 3.00m leap in the pole vault - equalling his lifetime best.

He has been vaulting seriously for the past two years and has made excellent progress.

New town youngsters show steel in Sheffield

Basildon AC are in seventh heaven after 15 of their athletes helped Essex regain the overall title for the seventh consecutive year at the English Schools' Athletic Championships in Sheffield.

The new towners, as previously reported, all performed superbly with James Tydeman and Kim Wall collecting gold, Darryl Stone and Ellie Childs silver and Matthew Colton bronze.

All others made finals or were placed apart from unluckiest athlete of the day Stacey Ward, who suffered an unfortunate fall while third in the intermediate 1500m.

Basildon are very proud of their athletes and the coaches who train them and, because of their success and expansion, welcome any new members and coaches at Gloucester Park.

Track training sessions take place on Monday and Wednesday evenings at 7pm.

Star line-up - Basildon AC's English Schools' squad with medal winners (front row left to right): Matthew Colton, Darryl Stone, Ellie Childs, Kim Wall and James Tydeman.

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

There's just no stopping Basildon

Basildon followed up their superb display at the English Schools' Championships by emerging triumphant the next day in their Eastern Young Athletes League match at Gloucester Park.

Despite resting most of their established stars who had competed in Sheffield, they won the meeting by almost 40 points from a very powerful Milton Keynes squad (362.5 - 326.5).

Dacorum and Tring were third (285.5) and City of Norwich fourth (270.5) in an exciting and high-scoring competition.

Individual boys' firsts for the under-13s were Jamie Affleck in the B hurdles, Ben Fitzgibbon in the B 200, Scott Phillips in the B 400 and the 4 x 100 relay squad.

For the under-15s, Levi Allison in the A 100, Rob Firmin in the A shot and discus, Matthew Jones (B long jump) and Craig Gray (shot) were winners.

Champions at under-17 level were Kit Branch (A hurdles), Daniel Berry (A 100 and 200), Karl Orford (A high jump), Aaron Cramp, (A shot and javelin), Alex Noakes (B hurdles), Nick Evans (B 100), Andy Pickles (B 200), Rob King (B long jump), and the 4 x 100 relay squad.

Jo Brown captured the under-13 girls honours with victory in the B hurdles while, for the under-15s, Rebecca Jones took the A long jump, Lynsey Nash the B 100m, Melissa Stone the B long jump, Annie Lingard the B javelin and there was again victory for the 4 x 100 relay team.

Alexa Joel (A 1500), Nicola Page (B 1500), Hannah Lees (B 100) and Karen Deeley (B javelin) were the under-17 winners.

Delighted Bill hammers his rivals into submission

Southend's golden oldies were kept busy at the Eastern Veterans League match at Chelmsford.

Bill Garrard won the hammer with 28.23m and John Browne took the 100m in convincing style - finishing no less than six-tenths of a second ahead of the next man.

Peter Binns successfully negotiated the over-50s 1500m with a winning run of 4m.40.8s.

A small group of women - Val Mountford, Val Player, Kim Fearon-Howard, Janet Platt and Marion Bullock - covered virtually the entire programme for Southend.

Most competed in four events with Kim winning the 3,000m walk.

The combined efforts of the men saw Southend second on 125 behind the host club on 132.5.

Although Chelmsford dominated the women's match, just four-and-a-half points separated the next three- Hertford, Loughton and Southend.

Southend's youngsters did the club proud in the Eastern Young Athletes League at Huntingdon.

They won with their strongest squad of the season.

Southend stage their minithon, postponed from June 18, at Garon's Park on Sunday from 1pm.

It's open to youngsters from school years five, six, seven and eight. If you want your youngster to take part ring Mike Seaman on 01702 584043 or June Cork 01702 472195.

Youngsters will each take part in a running, jumping and throwing event with certificates to mark performances.

Many have already booked, but if you want to take part it's £2 for advance bookings or £3 on the day and represents a great introduction to the sport.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.