SUPREME runners from City of Salisbury tightened their hold on the south region’s major road league on Sunday when against a high quality field of 2,800 at the Eastleigh 10k, the men’s team fended off leadership rivals Stubbington Green and Lordshill to stay top of the table.

The club’s ambition to win the league for two consecutive seasons now begins to look more than just a pipe dream.

Salisbury’s women did equally well to stay ahead of teams from Stubbington and Totton, and have only Winchester between them and the top of their league table.

The fast-improving Chris Southern made the most of the traffic-free circuit and cool conditions to clock a remarkable 33min 1sec personal best that laid the foundation for Salisbury’s latest success on the road. Ben Brewster also went faster than he’s achieved before at this distance with a time of 33.33.

Marathon training accounted for Stuart Holloway’s third place in the team with 33.49 and the fourth counter was Tom Cummings, pictured, with 34.10.

Another revelation on the day was Faye Parker, her 39.40 taking her into new territory more than a minute quicker than she has gone before. Supported by Sarah Kemp, showing the benefit of triathlon training with 41.24 and Alex Mundell in a rare outing on the road with 41.35, the trio did the club’s league campaign proud.

The men’s B team were given a cracking start by Michael Brewster whose fine 34.28pb earned him third place in his age group; consistent Kevin Tilley clocked 36.00; and Ian Shelley and Phil Smith also recorded their bests with 36.21 and 38.39 respectively.

Other Salisbury finishers were: Simon Wiltshire 41.41, James Murphy 42.23, Nick Willetts 42.48*, Sally Greenslade 43.08 for fifth place in her age group, Sarah Brewster completing a rapid family trio with 43.22*, John Ruskin 44.15 for third in his age group, Emma Chambers 44.36*, Ruth Thom 44.47, Craig Murphy 44.50, Ali Restall 47.37*, Melanie Murphy 47.54, Andy Robbins 48.18*, Jay Friedlander 48.29* and Liz Roberts 48.57. Then came Dave West 49.01, Jane Whiteley 50.02, Rod Smith 51.57, Colin Martin 55.31 and Kathryn Dreyer 55.45.

Closing the Salisbury account with a return to league racing after surgery, the evergreen Gordon Wiltshire, 77, gave encouragement to his younger clubmates in the best way possible by chalking 61.19.

*denotes personal best