Fareham are out of the EHA Cup - but what a third round performance they produced before losing 4-1 to Premier League powermen Hampstead & Westminster.

In cup football terms, it was Farnborough v Arsenal revisited with a potential double-figure mauling for Fareham a distinct possibility.

Not so. Fareham played out of their skins and did themselves - and local hockey - proud.

"If we could lift our game on Saturdays like we did against Hampstead we'd be top of South Premier Division 2 - instead of struggling near the bottom," said coach Nigel Cook.

"It just underlines the potential we've got in the side and what we can do when we focus."

The city slickers predictably called the tune, dominating possession and taking a seventh minute lead through a Tim Thompson reverse stick shot. But Fareham came battling back.

Midway through the first period, Dave Cousins opened up the Hampstead defence and Jim Moseley rode a sliding challenge from the goalkeeper to equalise.

Ian Rowlands was the busiest man of the park as Hampstead - second in the EHA Premier League and five divisions above Fareham in the pyramid - swarmed forward.

And the former City of Portsmouth goalie capped a fine individual display by saving Thompson's penalty flick.

South African Craig Peel rattled the Hampstead goal frame with a searing shot but it was the West Londoners, continuing to enjoy large slices of possession, who got their noses back in front through ex-Trojans man Andy Cornick.

A series of slick one-two's down the left channel brought a third for Paul Hilton - whose father coaches Hamble - while Will Nurse's fourth from a penalty corner ended Fareham's faint dreams. But Fareham, denied a win when they squandered a late penalty in a 2-2 draw at PHC Chiswick the previous day, certainly didn't thrown in the towel.

Brockenhurst teenager Matt Szwinto, the penalty man in question, was just wide, Scott Shirley was denied by a brilliant save and Peel was within inches of scoring a second.

"If we'd have scored a second goal, justice would have been done," agreed Cook.

"Hampstead deserved their win, no doubt asbout that. But Fareham held their heads high."

Now Cook will demand a repeat in Saturday's 1 o'clock South Premier League clash against Old Whitgiftians.

Gosport are hit by a goal blitz

Can we play you every week? That was the cry from the Southampton camp after a 20-goal avalanche sent Gosport spinning in two Hampshire League matches.

Southampton's first team beat Gosport 9-4, while the reserves rattled in 11 goals without reply in the Hampshire 2nd XI League at HMS Sultan.

Chris Stokes (3), Bill Ashworth (2), Richie Watts (2), Earl Spencer and Harry Hanley got the first team goals.