SOUTHAMPTON City are in with an outside chance of promotion after completing a hat-trick of wins in the Southern Men's League Division 4 West at Worthing on Saturday.

It leaves James Martin's side sitting fourth in the table with their chances of progress depending on the composition of the league for next season.

SML secretary Don Turner explained: "Only the top two teams go up automatically, but Southampton might get promoted depending on how the league shapes up for next season. We won't know until November or December what teams want to join or drop out next year."

Whatever the outcome, it's been an encouraging season for City's committed band of athletes who had the usual shortage of bodies to contend with at Worthing.

A spate of drop-outs meant the original 25-strong team had been shrunk to ten by the start of the meeting, and work commitments meant that Neil Jackson only arrived in time to help the 4x400 metres relay team to victory in the last track event of the day. By that time fellow relay man Colin French had already competed in eight events, including seconds in the A 200m, A 110m hurdles, A 400m hurdles, A javelin and as a member of the 4x100m squad.

Martin himself turned into a field eventer for the day, covering all three jumps, the four throws and the pole vault as well as the 3000m steeplechase.

"Our policy to fill every event with the usual Southampton determination to win brought us through," he smiled.

Match result: Southampton City 124.5, Worthing 118, London 111, Plymouth 94, Fleet 90.5.

Southampton City performances: 100m: A 2 T Ajekigbe 12.0, B 2 R Davies 12.7;

200m: A 2 C French 24.8, B 3 T Ajekigbe 25.5;

400m: A 1 R Osborn 54.4, B 5 G Davies;

800m: A 1 R Osborn 2.04.3, B 4 G Westley 2.27.0;

1500m: A 1 R Osborn 4.20.1, B 3 G Westley 4.58.3;

5000m: A 3 A Bada 16.55.2, B 1 B Isaacs 17.14.6;

110m hurdles: A 2 C French 21.2, B 2 G Westley 22.0;

400m hurdles: A 2 C French 63.2, B 1 T Tran 66.6;

3000m steeplechase: A 5 G Westley 11.59.2, B 2 J Martin 12.37.6;

4x100m: 2 Southampton City (T Tran, R Davies, T Ajekigbe, C French) 49.3;

4x400m: 1 Southampton City (N Jackson, T Tran, C French, R Osborn) 3.43.9.

High jump: A 4 J Martin 1.60, B 4 G Davies 1.40;

Long jump: A 1 J Martin 5.98, B 4 T Tran 5.40;

Triple jump: A 2 J Martin 11.98, B 2 T Ajekigbe 11.06;

Discus: A 3 C French 22.06, B 2 J Martin 22.00;

Hammer: A 5 J Martin 14.95, B =4 C French 14.32;

Javelin: A 2 C French 40.00, B 2 J Martin 34.57;

Pole vault: A 1 J Martin 3.40;

Shot: A 4 C French 8.53, B 3 J Martin 7.46.