The loyalty of their athletes that has helped keep Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers in the top-flight of the British League longer than any other club was again evident in Saturday's Division One match at their rain-drenched Copthall Stadium home.

It enabled them to finish an excellent second place behind Newham and Essex Beagles, but ahead of league leaders and current champions Belgrave Harriers.

Commonwealth triple jump champion Larry Achike provided an excellent example. Despite a punishing week of competition and training that saw him achieve a qualifying leap for the Sydney Olympics of 17.14m in Zagreb, and with a European Cup appearance for Britain at Gateshead ahead this weekend, Achike contested three events.

He was hobbling with a leg injury after the long jump, and restricted himself to only one attempt at the triple jump, winning the B-string contest with 15.17m, before running a leg in the 4x100m relay.

'There's no problem,' said Achike. 'I wanted to help the club by contributing some points today. I am pleased with my form and looking forward to competing at Gateshead.

Achike was completing a Shaftesbury double. Francis Agyepong won the 'A' section with 15.73m beating his fellow international Julian Golley (TVH), 15.65m, after a thrilling duel.

Long-serving Agyepong holds the league record of 17m, set in 1993, but has been plagued by injury. Both are coached by Frank Attoh, a former triple jump international during his long career with Shaftesbury.

Two veterans who excelled were Neville Thompson and Tony Smith. Thompson (45), who made his debut for the club, aged 18, in 1973 in the Southern League Fourth Division, is still throwing well, and was third in the A-string discus with 51.05m.

So, too, is 41-year-old Smith, fourth in the A-string javelin with 59.21m.

In contrast, making his debut for Shaftesbury was sprinter Jason Fergus, who scored a brilliant 200m win in 21.24secs, after finishing third in the 100m in 10.55secs.

Fergus joined from Belgrave, after his league opportunities had been limited with Darren Campbell and Dwain Chambers filling the top two slots.

There were also some fine runs by the club's middle-distance men. International Justin Swift-Smith was second in the 800m in 1min 52.55secs, after leading with a few metres to go.

Charlie Low made it two out of two in the 3,000m steeplechase this season, leading all the way in 9mins. 1.17sec. and Nick Francis, back after injury produced a strong run to take the 5,000m in 14mins 27.93secs.

Tyron Peacock and Robert Mitchell both cleared 2.10m, giving SBH a high jump double.

Shaftesbury will again have home advantage for the final league match on Sunday, August 6, because the new stadium at Battersea won't be completed in time.

Match result: 1 Newham and Essex Beagles 351, 2 Shaftesbury Barnet 315, 3 Belgrave 307, 4 Sale 271, 5 Birchfield 255.5, 6 Team Solent 255, 7 Thames Valley 220, 8 Border 209.5.

League standings (after three meetings): 1 Belgrave 21.5, 2 Newham and Essex 21, 3 Sale 18.5, 4 Shaftesbury 15, 5 Border 11, 6 Birchfield 10, 7 TVH 6, 8 Team Solent.

Other Shaftesbury places: 110m hurdles A: 4 Greg Dunson 14.94secs. B: 2 Chris Low 15.62secs. 400m hurdles A: 3 Richard McDonald 52.29secs. B: 5 Dunson 56.47secs.

100m A: 3 Jason Fergus 10.55secs. B: 8 Bruce Gibb 11.98secs. 200m A: 1 Fergus 21.24secs. B: 3 Andy Hughes 21.96secs. 400m A: 7 Gibb 50.76secs. B: 7 Mark Stern 50.23secs. 800m A: 2 Justin Swift-Smith 1min 52.25secs. B: 6 Greg McEwan 1min 56.39secs. 1500m A: 8 Anton Van Zyl 3mins 54.40secs. B: 5 Kojo Kyereme 4mins 3.37secs.

Relay (4x100m): 8 SBH (Chris Low, Gibb, Fergus, Hughes) 43.64secs. Relay (4x400m): 7 SBH (Gibb, Kyereme, McEwan, McDonald), 3mins 31.71secs.

High jump A: 1 Tyron Peacock 2.10m. B: 1 Robert Mitchell 2.10m. Long jump A: 7 Chris Low 6.45m. B: 7 Larry Achike 6.16m. Triple jump A: 1 Francis Agyepong 15.73m. B: 1 Achike 15.17m. Pole vault A: 6 Stephen Day 4.20m. B: 2 Jason O'Hara 4.20m (pb).

Discus A: 3 Neville Thompson 51.05m. B: 2 Adam Major 46.82m. Javelin A: 4 Tony Smith 59.21m. B: 3 Graeme Allan 48.95m. Shot A: 5 Anthony Soala-Bell 14.58m. B: 4 Allan 14.13m. Hammer A: 6 Graham Holder 58.86m. B: 3 Allan 54.31m.