Gosport Borough boss Mick Marsh has praised Sydenhams Wessex League title rivals Winchester City for their help in smoothing over the transfers of midfielder Kevin Brewster and defender Dave Goss to Privett Park.

After Winchester's shock 4-3 defeat at Downton on Saturday, Gosport's championship hopes have been given a massive boost and Marsh admitted: "Some people might think it's a bit odd they're helping us, but I can't thank Winchester's manager Neil Hards and secretary Ray Murphy enough.

"We've already played them twice this season, so maybe they're trying to help us take points off the other boys!"

Marsh has long been an admirer of both Brewster and Goss, whose careers have followed a near path to Eastleigh, Bashley and Winchester.

He sees 22-year-old Brewster as an ideal replacement for former team captain Stuart Hensman, who has been forced out of the game by knee trouble, while man mountain Goss, 27, adds steel to a defence that has lost the services of the injured Bjay Green for the rest of the season.

The only down for Gosport is that neither Brewster nor Goss are eligible for any of the three cup competitions they remain in.

Borough have already made the last four of the Hampshire Senior and Russell Cotes Cups and will be looking to make it a hat-trick of semi-finals tonight when they host Sydenhams title rivals AFC Newbury in the Wessex League Cup.

Darren Caskey converted a penalty in each half as Havant & Waterlooville defeated below-strength Farnborough 2-0 last night to reach the last eight of the GLS Conference Cup. They now travel to Woking later this month.

Bashley chairman Gary Parsons would like to see the Ryman League's Bryco Cup competition regionalised in the early stages.

The Foresters face a long journey to Folkestone in the fourth round tonight, having already trekked to Witham Town (Essex) and Enfield (Hertfordshire).