A SHOCK win for relegation-doomed Alresford over title-chasing Sandown & Shanklin was celebrated long and hard in the Trojans camp as the championship initiative was passed back to the Stoneham Lane side.

Without a league win from 12 previous attempts, the mid-Hampshire men sank the Islanders courtesy of four Micky Butler penalties in response to a single shot from the Hurricanes.

The visitors fell foul of their own indiscipline with Butler taking full advantage with four successful goal attempts from six as Lee Priddle's men were marched back and penalised on regular occasions for backchat and questioning of decisions.

But while it was not the prettiest of games, there was no disagreement that Alresford fully deserved the win and, in the process, booked their place in next Sunday's Hampshire Gales Plate semi-final against University of Southampton.

And their victory brings to a head Sandown's recent indifferent run, having squeezed past Nomads by a single point in the previous two weeks and now this - the championship jitters look to have set in.

That result was greeted with elation at Trojans who beat Farnborough 23-10.

Coach Pete Surtees was delighted with his team's effort, despite spoiling tactics employed by their visitors and he now knows that the winning the league is firmly in their own hands.

At the bottom, Nomads fired a shot across Trojans' bow - who they meet next week in a re-arranged league game - with a thumping 40-6 win over an out-of-sorts New Milton & District.

The Foresters, heavily weakened by unavailability and travelling with a bare 15 players, were in the contest for the opening hour with the forwards having much the better of the confrontation.

But Nomads, without a recognised second row themselves, snatched a breakaway try and it sapped the confidence from the visitors, allowing the Portsmouth-based club three more tries with Pete Swift completing a hat-trick.

Having been entrenched at the wrong end of the table for much of the season, US Portsmouth have jumped to fifth courtesy of a dogged 18-13 win over Millbrook.

Millbrook felt they were the better team in many respects, especially as two of the Services tries, from winger Martin Howorth and debutante James Martin-Redman came when the hosts were attacking.

But in his predominantly forward orientated clash, it was the visitors who clicked after 'Brook had lapsed into safety mode when leading early in the first half and then did the same in the second.

Fareham Heathens coach Matt Southey was left exasperated once again by his team's inability to perform when they tossed away an 8-0 lead to go down 10-8 to Isle of Wight.