They've done it again! Fareham Heathens, the side who care not for long-term unbeaten records, have claimed their second top-of-the-table scalp in succesive league weekends to dent Trojans' title hopes.

Two first-half tries from winger Pete Whalley and hooker Nick Weston led the mid-table Heathens to an outstanding 14-12 triumph over the side unbeaten in over three months of competitive rugby.

It follows their 12-0 win over previous leaders Isle of Wight last week and their win sees the third change of table-toppers in the space of three weeks with Guernsey returning to the helm after their unconvincing 29-16 victory at Eastleigh.

Heathens did to Trojans what Trojans did to Southampton the previous week in the Hampshire Bowl by completely outplaying them with the exception of the last ten minutes when the chips were down.

A try and conversion from Tim Zeale was not enough to prevent the visitors from taking the match and causing yet another huge surprise.

"We did not deserve to win," said Trojans coach Pete Surtees. "They were the better side and some of my players did not perform.

"We can have few complaints but this league is not over and done with yet. It has now been made harder for ourselves and the players know that - they were locked in the changing- room for 20 minutes afterwards talking it over amongst themselves."

Heathens skipper Mark Dunning was elated: "This was an excellent win for us and was another outstanding team effort, with our set moves being executed well and some very good reactive open play.

"I am very pleased with the way individuals and the team played and this result shows the hard work we are putting in. It is just frustrating that we are not moving up the table."

Isle of Wight move back into second thanks to two late tries that sank island rivals Sandown & Shanklin 10-6 after Neil Buckingham had given the Hurricanes a lead they had carried through deep into the second period.

But former Hampshire and Havant lock Ben Rouse led the charge and, from two penalties and resultant mauls, IW found their way over to clinch the victory and return to the promotion berths.

With two teams going down, Eastleigh could have taken a step out of the relegation zone and caused the huge surprise but they were denied at the death when they deservedly led Guernsey 16-15.

But two tries gave the scoreline a false complexion and the hosts felt luck was not on their side as Richard Baker and Dan Jackson were excellent in the line-outs and Clive Wooding, Steve Shears and Neil Ashton superb in the front-row.

Eastleigh still trail Millbrook by a point and their 36-20 downfall to Farnborough has realistically meant that the two relegation places will be contested by the three teams at the foot.

A spate of injuries and unavailability in the Millbrook ranks decimated their side before kick-off, which made their task more difficult, but they should still have won with skipper Dean Weaver outstanding and Alan Griffin playing superbly in his first game since early December.

Weaver, Griffin and prop Shannon Passingham crossed for 'Brook.

A five-try surge in the first half was enough for New Milton & District to see off lowly Fawley, on their way to a 43-7 thrashing.

They were 12-0 up in just three minutes and 33-0 to the good by half- time before a spirited showing by the injury-hit Fawley restricted the rampant Foresters to just ten further points.

A horrific injury to Fordingbridge flanker Colin Musselwhite marred their 9-7 win at Lytchett Minster in Hampshire Division 2.

The 22-year-old fire service trainee fractured his vertebra in a freak incident and is likely to spend up to eight weeks in Poole Hospital with his rugby career at an end. He was caught on the floor at a ruck.

Mat Norton kicked three penalties for the visitors.

Nomads go back to the top of the table with a 12-10 victory over Aldershot & Fleet with Tim Ayles grabbing a brace of tries.