It could be the long goodbye as Hercules Wimbledon endure an agonising wait to see if they have escaped the relegation zone in the Southern Track and Field league.

Travelling to Portsmouth for the season's final fixture, Hercules had to place second at worst to ensure safety but after leading the five sided match at the half way stage the team finally finished third, just two points adrift of the Essex based Basildon AC and they now await the result of the promotion matches to seal their fate.

The middle distance events proved most successful for Hercules as Adrian Marriott and Jerome Brooks ran gruelling doubles to gain valuable points. Marriott won the 5,000 metres and 1,500 metres while Brooks took second in both the 1,500 metres and the 3,000 metres steeplechase.

In his debut as team manager, Craig Motley won two B events, the steeplechase and the 800 metres while club newcomer Oliver Brown came second in the 5,000 metres. B.

Two others who finished second were Morris Tolaram in a personal best of 11.4 seconds in the 100 metres and Paul Moulton, fighting his way back to fitness after a summer of injury, in the 800 metres A race. The 4x100 metres relay squad also came second.

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