THE frantic race to avoid the dreaded trapdoor back into Hampshire League football looks like going to a nail-biting final day of the season on Saturday.

Both basement battlers Blackfield & Langley and Whitchurch United recorded priceless victories at the weekend and that means that the Waterside club maintain their single point advantage over Whitchurch with just two games remaining.

Blackfield battled hard to overturn a half-time deficit and triumph 2-1 against Hamble ASSC at Gang Warily, while Whitchurch won 2-0 at Brockenhurst after their keeper Dave Smalley had opened the scoring with a 70-yard wind-assisted free-kick!

Their match at third-bottom Brockenhurst was goalless with twenty minutes remaining when Smalley hoisted forward a free-kick from mid-way in his own half and then watched in amazement as it bounced once, sailed straight over his opposite number's head, and into the net.

Whitchurch secretary Joanna Cozzi said: "The ball was caught on the strong breeze and took one bounce on the hard pitch and went straight over their keeper's head - we need a bit of luck like that at the moment."

There was still time for Marcus Stapleton to scramble home a scrappy second goal for Whitchurch who also saw Chris Iddles' shot hit the Brockenhurst upright.

Whitchurch, who were relegated from the JWL in the 1993/94 season, still need points from their home match against Andover today and/or away at Christchurch on Saturday to have any chance of avoiding a repeat.

At least Blackfield know their destiny lies in their own hands following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Hamble ASSC who had led at the break through Dan Jeffries 24th minute strike.

The home side's equaliser on 67 minutes was a controversial one - Steve Wheatland's downward header from a corner was adjudged to have crossed the line by the assistant referee before being cleared by a Hamble defender.

With three minutes left, Hamble's Paul Vinton clattered Nathan Oakley in the area and Wheatland stuck away the spot-kick.

Andy Price, who took sole charge in co-boss Tony Feeney's one-game absence, said: "My instinct at the time was that the ball had crossed the line but some of the others are telling me that it didn't.

"Well I'm taking it because last week at Christchurch we had a 'goal' by Nathan Oakley which hit the stanchion in the back of goal and came out into play again which didn't count - what goes around, comes around.

"I'm very happy and I thought that we got what we deserved today, the lads were superb and I couldn't have asked anymore of them. Blackfield play host to Cowes this afternoon (3pm) and travel to Alton Town next Saturday.