TEAM Southampton's Angus Maclean held off Guernsey's Lee Merrien to savour 4k glory at the Reebok Cross Challenge in Cardiff.

But coach Tony Fern's personal highlight was the performance of Scottish 5,000m champion Simon Plummer who finished fourth, beating several international runners including Belgrave's Steve Sharp, recent winner of the Victory 5 in Portsmouth.

For Southampton medical student Maclean it was his second win in three years in the two-lap charge around Bute Park.

The early running was made by Aldershot, Farnham & District soldier Kev Sheppard, who has only been back in training for six weeks after a tour of duty in Iraq. He opened up a five-metre lead in the woods on the first lap before Merrien took on the pace with roughly one kilometre to go.

But Maclean was right there with him and it was Southampton's 1,500m track specialist who made the decisive surge in a thrilling finale, holding off Merrien by one second to win in 13 minutes and 35 seconds. Sheppard, last year's event winner, and Plummer were half a dozen strides behind in a joint time of 13.41.

Southampton's Andy Hennersey finished 19th and Rod Finch, gradually returning to full fitness, was 29th in the 9k race.

"This was the strongest domestic field I have seen for years," said Fern. "It was a splendid day for the group."

Southampton's Beth Harris, who has had some good results recently, decided it was time to move up in class, but when she stood on the start line with a field of mostly internationals her knees must have been knocking.

On a very sticky 7k course, she hung on and eventually finished a pleasing 36th, beating two of the Welsh international team in the process. The race was won by European cross-county champion Hayley Yelling with Bournemouth's national junior champion Louise Damen in third.

Fern has found himself an able assistant in Lymington based coach Ray Needles, who travels to Southampton every Tuesday and Thursday.

"The group is now attracting athletes from all over and we are trying to make Southampton a centre of excellence for middle distance running in the area," said Fern. "Any coach or athlete is welcome to come and join us."