TEAM manager Pete Wareing described Southampton City's Southern Women's League Division 2 fixture at Southampton as "a match we could and should have won."

Yet despite finishing first or second in more than 50 per cent of events on the day, City finished four points short of triumphant visitors North Devon.

Wareing confessed: "Although this was a very good result for us, we could still have done better, much better. We still have athletes missing and if I can get them back into the team, then who knows what we can achieve."

On an afternoon of strong performances from the Southampton team, it was hard to pick one athlete out for special praise.

Michelle Hallett had a superb day with wins in the junior Astring long jump and high jump and B 800m as did Eve Selby, who topped the junior javelin and was second in the 100m and 75m hurdles.

The Goughs also had a top time of it, Rebecca winning the junior 800m in an excellent 2.19.2 and older sister Nicole producing two special performances over the hurdles to win the senior 80m in 13.1 and the 300m in 49.8.

Vicky Burgess looked to be getting back to her old self, edging the senior 100m in 12.5 and was well supported by Holly McManus's B 100/200m double.

Jess McMonagle won a controlled senior 400m in 58.3 and then stormed round in 57.7 seconds on the last leg of the 4x400m relay to bring City's seniors up to second place.

Despite being unwell all week, Sophie Hall lead the B 800m home and the ever reliable Claire Gallant won the B 400m and picked up precious points in the high and long jumps before running a leg of the 4x400m.

Wareing summed up: "Everyone did a very good job including the officials, who gave up their day to make things run so smoothly. They are credit to the club."

MATCH RESULT:

North Devon 172, Southampton City 168, Bexley 164, Newham 96, Barnet 94.

Southampton City performances

Seniors

100m: A 1 Vicky Burgess 12.5, B 1 Holly McManus 12.9

200m: A 3 Vicky Burgess 26.4, B Holly McManus 26.5

400m: A 1 Jess McMonagle 58.3, B 1 Claire Gallant 64.7

800m: A 3 Jo Foote 2.26.6, B 1 Sophie Hall 2.26.2

1500m: A 2 Lucky Bowers 4.53.0, B 2 Tina Walker 5.06.7

3,000m: A 2 Jodie Bowers 11.30.1

80m hurdles: A 1 Nicole Gough 13.1, B 1 Aimee McDevitt 15.0

300m hurdles: A 1 Nicole Gough 49.8

4x100m relay: 1 Southampton City (McMonagle, Gough, McManus, Burgess) 52.0

4x400m relay: 2 Southampton City (Bowers, Gallant, Walker, McMonagle) 4.15.5

High jump: A 4 Claire Gallant 1.35, B 4 Aimee McDevitt 1.25

Long jump: A 5 Claire Gallant 4.10, B 3 Aimee McDevitt 3.67

Pole vault: A 1 Rebecca Frampton 2.50

Discus: A 2 Coralie Hancock 32.20, B 4 Jess McMonagle 10.48

Javelin: A 5 Jodie Bowers 16.61 B 5 Debbie Hallett 6.67

Shot: A 3 Coralie Hancock 7.79, B 4 Vicky Burgess 6.15

Juniors

100m: A 2 Eve Selby 13.5, B 2 Amy Matthews 13.6

200m: A 3 Amy Matthews 28.6

800m: A 1 Rebecca Gough 2.19.2, B 1 Michelle Hallett 2.21.8

1500m: A 2 Katrina Brace 5.49.9

75m hurdles: A 2 Eve Selby 13.3,

4x100m: 3 Southampton City (Hallett, Gough, Matthews, Selby) 53.4

High jump: A 1 Michelle Hallett 1.35, B 1 Rebecca Gough 1.25

Long jump: A 1 Michelle Hallett 4.32, B 2 Rebecca Gough 3.77

Discus: A 2 Liz Dunn 20.45

Javelin: A 1 Eve Selby 25.84, B 1 Liz Dunn 16.94

Shot: A 4 Liz Dunn 5.99