IT'S been a faltering February for Lymington Town, who started the month with a massive ten-point lead at the head of the Division 2 table and have ended it just a solitary point clear of Poole Town.

After just two defeats in their first 27 league games, Lymington have now been beaten twice in the last ten days as Saturday's surprise 1-0 home defeat by Romsey Town follows their recent setback by the same scoreline at Alresford.

Romsey boss Trevor Holmes pulled off something of a masterstroke by lining up with a 3-6-1 formation! "The lads gave me some funny looks when I told them before kick-off but we've pulled out a terrific result here," smiled Holmes.

The all-important goal came 20 minutes from time. Dean Constable was brought down just outside the penalty area and Simon Woodley thumped the resulting free kick into the net.

Tommy Killick's Poole Town are now breathing right down Lymington's necks following their narrow 1-0 verdict against Blackfield & Langley at the Tatnum Ground.

Joe Collins scored their matchwinner after 30 minutes but the Dolphins finished the game with ten men after Leigh Cornick was red-carded in the 65th minute for re-entering the field of play without permission!

Third-placed Locks Heath were held 1-1 at Alresford Town. Dean Cole gave the home side a first half lead with Mike Summers replying for 'Heath on 58 minutes, while fourth-placed Petersfield were also held 1-1 at US Portsmouth.

Two of the division's in-form sides, Whitchurch United and Fawley, battled out a 2-2 draw at Longmeadow.

Shaun Maye (5) and James Scrivens (75) twice gave the North Hampshire side the lead only for Fawley to rally on each occasion through Ian Moore (35) and Simon Davidson (80) to extend both clubs' recent unbeaten sequences.

With second-bottom Fawley's form on the up, it was important for cellar-dwellers Aldermaston to come up trumps with an impressive 5-2 home victory against Ringwood Town.

The Foresters scored one of the quickest goals of the day after just 40 seconds but a Barry Smith hat-trick and a brace from man-of-the-match Robbie Spencer earned the Berkshire club three much-needed points.

A Danny Hooker hat-trick inspired Brading Town to a comfortable 3-0 home win against a Hythe & Dibden side who couldn't muster a single shot in anger at the Islanders' goal in reply.

Hooker bagged his first on 20 minutes after the Hythe keeper dropped his corner-kick over the line with two further strikes on 65 and 80 minutes completing his treble-shooting antics.

Sharp-shooting Steve Harding helped himself to his third hat-trick of the season as Liss lashed Horndean 7-2, soloists John Noble, Graham Morrad, Mark Richards and Andy Neal bringing the seven-up.