IT'S been a great week for Hamble ASSC and their manager Larry Clay - they have scooped six points from back-to-back wins after going two months without picking up a single point.

Clay's side had been slipping steadily down the SWL table since their 2-1 victory at Downton on November 22, but a 1-0 victory over Andover last Tuesday was followed up with a 3-0 success against Bournemouth Poppies on Saturday.

"It's all about a little bit of confidence," smiled Clay. "With no first team game last Saturday, we played our first team in the Combination fixture against Bashley Reserves and won 4-1.

"That has kick-started us again and our work rate and attitude was superb today - their confidence is back up again. After ten minutes, our keeper Nick O'Donnell saved a Poppies' penalty and we went from strength to strength after that."

After Lewis Till had seen his spot-kick saved by O'Donnell, Richard Morse gave Clay's men the lead midway through the first half with a glorious 20-yard left footer, and they doubled their advantage on 32 minutes when Craig Rickman played in Gareth Lakeman, who coolly lobbed the advancing keeper.

And Rickman pouched Hamble's third goal ten minutes from time when he finished off a well-worked move by drilling the ball past the keeper from 12 yards.

Downton still find themselves bottom of the table despite a late Nicky Lumber strike clinching them a narrow 1-0 verdict over third-bottom Blackfield & Langley at Wick Lane.

"Our keeper John Burton didn't have a shot in anger to save all game but we missed so many earlier chances I thought it was going to be 0-0," admitted Downton boss Mitch Blake.

The Wiltshire club struck for all three points on 88 minutes, Matt Guy's cross finding Lumber, whose looping header gave the Blackfield keeper no chance.

Whitchurch United stay a point clear of their relegation rivals after they twice came from behind at home to Moneyfields to grab a 2-2 draw.

In a goalmouth melee, Nathan Ward's effort was cleared off the line but the ball fell to Matt Stillman, who lashed the visitors into a 30th-minute lead.

Andy Hackett's pass found Paul Roffey, who slid the ball under the keeper just before half-time to level, only for Moneyfields to regain the lead on the hour through Gavin Jones, whose cross-cum-shot found the net via the post.

But Whitchurch salvaged a much-needed point on 75 minutes, Hackett turning home Chris Iddles' low cross.

Just up the road at the Portway Stadium, Andover and Cowes Sports also slugged out a 2-2 draw.

Dave Greening slotted the Islanders into a third-minute lead before the Lions levelled on the stroke of half-time with the only chance they created in the opening 45 minutes, the head of Justin Bennett doing the damage.

Paul Gulliver and Mario Nurse combined for Danny Sullivan to nod Andover in front after 60 minutes but Simon Butler ran half the length of the pitch before finding Greening, who netted an 80th-minute point-saver - his fifth goal in three games for the Yachtsmen.

Cowes manager Derek Ohren said: "It was a scrappy affair but it's always a difficult place to come, so I've got be very satisfied with the result."

"Fantasy football" was how BAT boss Andy Leader described his side's first-half performance in their impressive 2-0 victory at near-neighbours Brockenhurst.

"Our passing and movement was absolutely superb and we'll soon be in the top ten again," purred Leader. "It was fantasy football in the first half and that opening 45 minutes was as good as we've played in the three-and-a-half years that I've been here."

Ironically, both BAT goals came after the break. Richie Gregory pocketed the first on 55 minutes after the keeper had spilled Danny Gain's before Gregory turned provider for Paul Beasley 15 minutes from time.

Christchurch also registered a 2-0 win over Alton Town at Hurn Bridge with the goals coming either side of half- time.

James Bailey-Pearce curled home the first from a 22-yard free-kick after Ben Griffiths had been brought down and, when Griffiths beat two defenders early in the second half, he was felled again and Scott Joyce converted the spot-kick.