Eastleigh's early-season teething problems are all forgiven with the Wessex League champions now sitting ominously on the tails of the leading pack.

A four-goal burst inside the opening 28 minutes left Corby Town bruised and battered at Ten Acres as Paul Doswell's 'dream team' eased up to fourth in the Eastern Division table, serving warning that they have serious claims on the title.

"For the first 20 minutes we were brilliant and we could have won by a lot more," said Doswell. "With Tuesday's game at Salisbury in mind, we took off Paul Sales, David Hughes and Danny Woods who were all struggling with slight niggles. But then Lee Bright limped off with a suspected calf tear and Nicky Banger bowed out with a tight hamstring and we were down to nine men for the last 20 minutes.

"Mind you, we still hit the woodwork twice with Robbie Matthews striking the bar and post!"

Just as they did at Folkestone two weeks earlier, Eastleigh belted out of the starting blocks and took an 11th-minute lead when Banger nodded Christer Warren's cross into the path of Sales who acrobatically volleyed home.

Three minutes later 16-year-old defender Robbie Chamberlain got in on the act volleying in another left-wing delivery by ex-Saint Warren.

No sooner had Corby caught their breath than Hughes struck from Warren's corner in the 16th minute and Banger completed the quickfire start with the aid of Sales's headed knockdown.

"I'm really happy with our start," smiled Doswell. "Paul Sales made a big difference to us and young Robbie Chamberlain was brilliant again. I'm very excited about this lad. He's incredibly strong for his age and has a lovely attitude. He wants to learn off the good players he has around him here."

Bashley's assistant manager Ricky Haysom was another satisfied customer following the Foresters' 3-1 win at Erith & Belvedere, which puts them sixth in the table.

Haysom, who is running the side in the absence of newly-appointed boss John Robson, said: "The scoreline flattered Erith. We battered them. But at the end of the day, we took three points away from home and you can't argue with that. The lads kept going and going, they gave me everything."

For all their good early work, Bashley had nothing to show for it at half-time. But young Richard Gillespie, who had been guilty of a couple of first-half misses, finally came good in the 53rd minute when he scampered through the offside trap and beat the keeper in a one-on-one.

Haysom was none too happy with Erith's equalising free-kick four minutes later which Darren Adams fired home with the Bashley wall still retreating the required ten yards, but Gary Connolly restored the smile to his face with a powerfully struck 65th-minute penalty given for a foul on Danny Gibbons.

Gibbons dragged a potential third wide when it would have been easier to score, but Matt Jones made amends by heading home Connolly's late free kick.

Next up for Bashley is tomorrow's home derby against Newport IoW who were well-beaten 4-0 at King's Lynn.

Islanders' boss Steve Tate had no arguments about the drubbing doled out by Dave Staff (2), Robbie Harris and Carl Holmes in front of a 713 crowd, which dropped his side down to eighth place.

He said: "I tipped King's Lynn last year to win the league and I'm tipping them again this time. Everything about them is geared up, not just for Premier Division football, but for Conference football too.They didn't put a foot wrong against us."

"All I'd say about my lads is that when they come up against that sort of quality opposition, they ought to be playing above themselves, but they didn't on Saturday. There's not enough character in the side. We had a lot of chances to score ourselves but lacked someone who wanted to take them.

"We desperately need someone to get on the end of the quality crosses Danny Hatcher and Lee Chudy are delivering."

Fleet Town finally have finally banked their first Eastern Division point at the sixth time of asking.

Trailing to a 33rd-minute George Redknapp header against Banbury United at Calthorpe Park, they were indebted to veteran striker Mark Frampton for a powerfully-struck right-foot blast in the 83rd minute which squared matters 1-1.