JAMIE Musselwhite shot Winchester City four points clear at the Sydenhams Wessex League summit with a hat-trick against his old club, Fareham.

Musselwhite shouldn't even have featured after a fortnight out due to suspension and a poisoned toe. But it was a case of needs must for the injury and illness-hit reigning champions who were already without injured quartet Matthew Bicknell, Ian Buckman, Adam Rogers and Toby Redwood and had Ian Mancey sitting on the bench after thigh problems.

During the 3-0 win at Cams Alders, striker Paul Burnett and midfielder Lloyd Webber limped off hurt and virus victim Mark Smith couldn't continue after being sick on the pitch.

The situtation became so dire that City manager Neil Hards - a 43-year-old former goalkeeper - had to go on for the last five minutes at centre-forward and drop hat-trick hero Musselwhite into midfield.

"We had to drag the skeletons out of the cupboard tonight," smiled Hards. "The flowing football wasn't there, but with the liabilities we had, you wouldn't expect it to be.

"I'm proud of the players. We dug in and the attitude and commitment was first class. The fitter players dragged us through."

To cap a satisfying night for City, title rivals AFC Newbury - whom they visit on Saturday - suffered a shock 2-0 defeat at Christchurch courtesy of Luke Whitley and Ross Edwards.

It leaves Guy Whittingham's men 11 points behind Winchester in third place with two games in hand.