IT'S going to be a Blue Christmas for Totton manager Ian Robinson after he watched his side slump to another defeat - a shock 4-2 home reverse by Fareham Town.

At the beginning of this month, Robinson's men were the only undefeated side in the league, sitting just four points behind leaders Eastleigh with a game in hand.

But a dismal December has brought them three league defeats, coupled with an FA Vase exit at St Blazey, and they now find themselves 13 points adrift of Paul Doswell's men.

"I'm really upset because we've not done ourselves justice," fumed Robinson. "We've absolutely mullered them and must have missed at least five chances from just two yards out. They weren't the better team but they have given us a lesson in finishing."

Fareham took an eighth minute lead when Abs Manneh headed home from a corner and they doubled it on 16 minutes when Bjay Green redirected Peter Wood's free-kick past 'keeper Wayne Shaw.

A 36th-minute header by Martin Whiddett reduced the arrears before Jamie Neale lobbed Shaw to restore the two-goal margin. An own goal saw Totton pull another one back, only for Gary Franklin to strike again for the visitors to wrap up their 4-2 verdict.

While Robinson went looking for a cat to kick, Cowes boss Derek Ohren was smiling like one which had just got the cream after seeing his side record their first league victory since September 7 by beating BAT 2-0.

"I thought that it was thoroughly deserved and especially nice at this time of year," said Ohren. "It's a relief as well because, although I wasn't under any pressure from the club, you tend to put yourself under pressure when you're not winning."

Cowes led midway through the first half when 18-year-old Jay Moyce notched his third goal in two games by rounding off some neat play with an 18-yard shot.

Another 18-year-old, Ollie Buckett, made the points safe for the Yachtsmen four minutes from time when he slid in to convert Sam Hart's ball across the six-yard box.

Brockenhurst also collected their first three-point haul since September with a 4-1 victory at Blackfield & Langley.

The home club lost any chance of picking up a point when they had 'keeper Tom Hawkins sent off midway through the second half for allegedly throwing a punch at Brock's James Bailey-Pearce.

At that point Brock were leading through Andy Culliford's 14th-minute opener but it soon became 2-0 after Hawkins' dismissal when Dave Midgley broke through to score.

Jason Stride's neat ball into Culliford saw him fire home to make it 3-0 and, although Steve Wheatland grabbed a Blackfield consolation, Culliford completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Paul Davies had been brought down.

"The result was all-important today," reflected Badgers boss Pete Moore. "I thought that we carried on the good work from our midweek match against a Blackfield side who battle and work hard and are very competitive."

Bemerton Heath Harlequins' Neil Cole was also red-carded in their 2-2 home draw with Moneyfields but he won't have to fear a backlash from his manager, Steve Slade, who sighed: "Neil has been sent off for two handball offences when there have been tackles out there this afternoon which could have resulted in broken legs. It's getting ridiculous.

"Both incidents have been on the edge of their penalty area - not ours - and, whilst the first one may have been deliberate, the second certainly wasn't and it's cost us," added Slade.

Bemerton had seemingly been coasting at 2-0 through goals from Darren Harding - his third in two games - and Carl Jones before Moneyfields super sub Lee Mould joined the action.

On 70 minutes, he rounded off a neat passing movement with a quick turn and vicious 18-yard shot into the bottom corner of the net before scrambling home a loose ball in the Bemerton box for a late leveller.

Hamble ASSC remain unbeaten since mid-October following their 1-1 home draw with Christchurch where all the goal action came in the last 20 minutes.

Hamble hotshot Jamie Musslewhite punished a mis-kick by a Christchurch defender to put his side in front on 70 minutes only for substitute Luke Grogan to mark his return from a ten-week lay-off with an equaliser eight minutes later.

Managerless Newbury made it back-to-back league wins with a 4-0 slaying of Bournemouth Poppies at Faraday Road.

Strikes from Geoff Neville, Steve Watt and Daniel Mattingley in a ten-minute spell just before half-time put the Berkshire side in control and substitute Yashwa Romeo added a fourth late on.