HARLOW Athletic Club's Mens team made an excellent start in to their first southern league match at Ipswich last weekend. Despite injuries causing Harlow to field a depleted team, they managed to scrape a well-earned second place.

The afternoon started badly for Harlow, with the team failing to put up competitors in the pole vault, steeplechase and the 'B' high hurdles.

But early disappointment was soon forgotten when the team won both strings of the shot put with Glen Townsend taking the former and Dave Bauer the latter. This success was repeated in the hammer, this time by Townsend and Stuart Thurgood.

Harlow's first major successes on the track came when Brian Cannon and Henry Anyetei gained wins in the 'A' and 'B' strings of the 100m.

Harlow continued to dominate the throws. Bauer and Townsend won both strings of the discuss while Phil Brilus and Steve Down scored second places in the javelin.

Back on the track Down took a valuable second place in the 110m hurdles while Cannon followed up his first place in the 100m with a win in the 200m 'A' string.

With just the relays to go, Harlow found themselves within stiking distance of second-placed West Suffolck. In the 4x100m, Harlow just took the honours, though they were givin the same time as West Sussex, so it was all down to the 4x400m relay.

In this crunch race both teams gave their all and once again crossed the line togther, and once again Harlow were awarded the decision and took second place with a half-a-point lead over West Sussex.