THE Sydenhams Wessex League summit meeting between table-toppers and title holders Winchester City and four-times champions Lymington & New Milton in 11 days time took on extra significance last night.

That's when Ian Robinson's Linnets' drew level with Winchester on 84 points at the top following their battling 2-1 victory over Brockenhurst after Neil Hards' City had slumped 3-1 at home to Andover earlier in the day.

"It was about grinding out a result tonight," admitted Linnets' assistant manager Richie Phippard. "It's the third time that we've had the chance to catch Winchester recently and now we've finally done it.

"Brockenhurst came here and they knocked us out of our stride and in fact I'd say we've played better than that and lost!

"But the three points were the most important thing."

Lymington moved ahead after 15 minutes, a Ben Thomson cross was flicked on by Michael Jackson for Mark Clothier to fire home.

They quickly added a second thanks to a right-footed finish by Kev James. Dave Midgeley pulled a goal back right on half-time.

There were mixed fortunes for Winchester hot-shot Jamie Laidlaw, who had a 28th-minute penalty saved by Lions keeper Colin Hopkins before he gave the home side the lead six minutes later.

Phil Andrews equalised for Andover after 62 minutes and, moments later, a cross from the left was blocked and Justin Bennett prodded the visitors ahead at the second attempt.

Laidlaw then fouled Bennett in the penalty area and Bennett dusted himself down to stroke home the resultant spot-kick after 81 minutes.

City had Jamie Austen sent off for a foul on Bennett just two minutes later.

It's now surely a two-horse race as the top two are 11 points clear of Thatcham, who condemned arch rivals AFC Newbury to a fifth straight defeat with a last-minute penalty in their 2-1 success at Faraday Road.

Anthony Alleyne gave Newbury the lead on the stroke of half-time with a looping effort over the keeper's head only for Mark Green to convert Chris Blackford's low far post cross on 70 minutes.

With the final seconds ticking away, Sam Rae brought down Green in the area and Ian Davies coolly dispatched the penalty.

So Thatcham leapfrog Gosport, who frittered away a 2-0 lead in a 2-2 draw with Fareham Town at Privett Park in front of a bumper 363 crowd.

Two Graham Lindsey strikes after 18 and 42 minutes had seemingly put Gosport on the road to victory - only for James Ford (72) and Warren Hunt, with a bobbling 88th minute effort over keeper Colin Matthews' arms, earning Town a point.

Amazingly, the bottom three clubs - Downton, Hamble ASSC and Portland United, who have leaked over 300 league goals between this season - all kept clean sheets!

Downton put the pressure on the other two strugglers with their 2-0 midday home victory over Christchurch at Wick Lane.

"We really played well and if we can continue like this then we should be OK," smiled Downton manager Jeff Softley. "We were back to how we were against Winchester City and the players' attitude was very good."

Kev Thick headed in a Paul Gulliver corner to put the Robins ahead after 55 minutes and, ten minutes later, Mark Daubney picked out Matt Guy who made no mistake with a clinical finish.

Portland responded in the afternoon with a 1-0 home victory over Bournemouth that came courtesy of a superb 25-yard free-kick by Danny Cullen ten minutes into the second half. "With the way the results have gone today, it was a vital we picked up three points and got Saturday's result at Hamble out of our system," said Portland boss Dave Court.

Hamble ASSC's goalless draw at Cowes Sports was their second clean sheet over the Easter weekend.

"It was a scrappy game but a good result considering we lost Jimmy Ball, Mark Smith and Dean Wheeler just before the game and Adam George and Aiden Trevaskis during it!" sighed Hamble manager Danny Bowers.

It's three home wins inside six days for a revitalised Moneyfields side following their latest 2-0 success against Alton Town.

Ben Johnson volleyed the Moneymen ahead midway through the first half before he turned provider ten minutes later by picking out Vikram Singh, who headed home.

The Totton versus BAT derby ended all-square at 1-1. Marc Osman stabbed Totton into a 22nd-minute lead and Dave Marden had a 'goal' disallowed for the Tobaccomen before Richie Gregory played in Matt Czaska who coolly lobbed the keeper five minutes before half-time.