After nearly five hours of competition and nearly a full Olympic programme, only three points separated the top three teams.

A great all-round effort by the eight-man squad finally secured victory over nearest challengers Overton and Andover by just half a point, with a strong Team Southampton two and a half points further back in third.

Although Chichester managed their usual haul of points on the track, it was a near perfect score of 31 out of a possible 32 in the jumps which set the seal on victory.

Still in the under-17 age group, Charlie Roe was making his third appearance for the senior team and rose to the challenge with a double win.

First, Roe jumped more than six metres for the second time this season to win the long jump with 6.07 and then equalled his personal best of 1.70 in the high jump.
In each event, it was Shane Mott who scored maximum points in the B string after teaming up with Alex White for an unexpected double in the pole vault to get the match off to a flying start for Chichester.

Against a Southampton squad inspired by Olympic coach Mike Smith, White and James Ponte did well to pick up valuable points in the sprints.

James Baker spearheaded the middle-distance races with convincing victories in both the 5,000m and steeplechase including a sub-15.30 clocking in the former.

He was supported by two top veterans, Andy Nicholson and Jim Garland, for maximum points in both events.

Multi-eventer Dave Bourne followed up two second places in the 400m hurdles and 800m with a triple-jump win, and crucially helped brother Robert for two more points than expected in the final field event of the day, the discus.

That was after Robert Bourne and Mott had kept Chichester in the hunt by picking up useful points in shot, discus and javelin.

This left two tired relay teams to gather the four points they needed to clinch victory and give Chichester their best start for five years.

The second round of league matches are on June 7, where Chichester will act as host for their home match at the Royal Navy track at Portsmouth.

- PHIL BAKER