ANDY LEADER watched his BAT side come of age last night as Gosport Borough's Wessex League title train was derailed 1-0 at Southern Gardens.

With just one defeat since the start of the year - and that against league leaders Thatcham - manager Leader suspected something special could be on the cards.

And the magic moment arrived on 60 minutes when Eastleigh loan striker Barry Mason was played in by fellow frontman Richard Gregory and used his strength to hold off a defender before beating keeper Colin Matthews.

The Tobaccomen had chances to extend their lead but Mason hit the post, Dave Marden spurned a header from a free-kick and Paul West lost out to Matthews in a one-on-one.

Gosport, needing victory to go third in the table, threw everything forward in the last ten minutes but found no way past experienced keeper Geoff Sim.

"It would have been a total injustice if we hadn't held on," said Leader. "The lads were fantastic tonight and deserve all the plaudits they get.

"We could have been four up by the time Gosport threw the kitchen sink at us, but there was no way through for them.

"In Lee Hodder and Dave Marden we've got the best two centre halves in the league - bar none - and then you add Simon Elliott and James Roden and the back four is awesome.

"That's the fourth clean sheet we've kept in five games.

"We ran Gosport ragged for 20 minutes in the second half and, yes, we didn't put our chances away, but there was no way they were going to score.

"We're on a rollercoaster at the minute. In December we had 26 points and now we've got 45 and we're up to eighth.

"We're growing up together as a team and these lads are just starting to realise how good they can be."