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.

Bashley's Geoff Butler was another merry manager after his young, patched-up side upstaged fifth-placed Tooting & Mitcham 2-0 in Ryman Division 1.

Although the Foresters surrendered much of the possession to the Londoners, Dave Wakefield scored a goal in each half - the first a right-foot strike from 15 yards and the second a close-range prod.

"It was just like Whyteleafe two weeks ago," smiled Butler. "I'm so pleased with them again and the supporters appreciated it too. They might not look for the finer arts of the game, but what fans do appreciate is enthusiasm - and we had plenty of that tonight. The crowd were first class and clapped us off the pitch."

Beaten Brockenhurst boss Graham Kemp cited Neil Scammell as the difference between the teams as Gosport Borough triumphed 3-0 in the Russell Cotes Cup semi-final at Grigg Lane.

The Foresters did superbly for an hour, even missing a Dave Midgley penalty, but were undone by two Scammell goals and a late Graham Lindsey strike.

"No disrespect to any other player, but if we'd had Neil Scammell in our side, we'd have won the game," said Kemp. "He was almost non-existent apart from the goals, but that's what strikers are about."

Basingstoke Town surrendered a two-goal home advantage in the Hampshire Senior Cup semi-final, first leg against Aldershot Town.

Having got off to a dream start with a second-minute own goal from Martin Whiddett's cross, Stoke doubled their lead through Neville Roach on the stroke of half-time.

But the Shots hit back twice through Scott Rendell, setting Terry Brown's men up nicely for the April 5 return.