FORMER Saints star Matthew Le Tissier smacked home his first goal for Eastleigh to help keep the league leaders top of the JWL tree for Christmas.

Le Tissier struck five minutes from time at Ten Acres to complete a comfortable 4-0 victory over basement battlers Whitchurch.

Danny Steer's cross was met by Le Tissier on the edge of the penalty area, from where he hit a sweet left-footed shot high into the net.

That strike also helped Le Tissier to win the match sponsors' man-of-the-match award.

A smiling Eastleigh manager Paul Doswell said: "Matt told me that he really enjoyed himself and that it was his first full 90 minutes for some two or three seasons - I think his goal brought the biggest cheer of the day.

"It was a good performance by all the players and it's fantastic to be top of the table at Christmas especially when you consider that this is a new side. We must make sure that we stay there and keep on winning."

Despite some strong defending by Whitchurch, the home side took the lead after 26 minutes when Dave Asker's through ball found David Laws, who fired home.

Le Tissier's measured corner kick picked out Saints' trailist Lee Bright at the far post to head the second on 50 minutes and, when Laws's volley was only parried by the 'keeper, David Hughes pounced for the third after 75 minutes.

Second-placed Lymington & New Milton are hanging on Eastleigh's shirt tails after two goals in the last 15 minutes saw them turn a potentially damaging 2-1 defeat into a 3-2 victory over Andover at Fawcett Fields.

Andover raced into a fifth-minute lead when Sam Rae rifled in a left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area but the Linnets were level before the break thanks to Taffy Richardson, who side-footed in Kevin Gill's cross.

The Lions roared ahead again on the hour through Danny Sullivan, who started and finished a move with Justin Bennett that had begun in his own half.

Liam Green then provided the far post cross for Gill to head the home side back on terms after 75 minutes and, when Richardson was upended in the area eight minutes later, Leigh Phillips thumped home the resultant penalty.

"I'm very pleased as we had to put a lot of effort in today and it was a hard-fought win," admitted player/manager Graham Kemp. "Although they probably had more of the possession, I felt that we created more chances."

Gosport boss Gary Lee was a happy man after watching his side stay in third spot with a convincing 3-0 victory at Downton.

"This is always a difficult place to come to and I thought that we put in a good, disciplined performance. We are certainly on a bit of a run at the moment," chuckled Lee.

Perry Holland got Gosport off to the perfect start by curling home a 25-yard free-kick after only three minutes and he doubled their tally on the half hour with a close-range finish.

Dominant Gosport completed their 3-0 scoreline midway through the second half when Graham Lindsay netted with a superb diving header from a Mark Tryon delivery.

Climbing up into fourth berth are Wimborne Town after they came from behind to triumph 3-1 at Alton Town, who had taken the lead after ten minutes through Danny McGarry.

Ten minutes later, Richard Mealey looked to have put the home side 2-0 up but his header was disallowed for pushing. "I think that was the turning point in the game," said Alton chairman Jim McKell.

"I'm not saying that we would have gone on and won the match but I think that we would have definitely got something out of it," he added.

Instead Alton were floored by two quickfire strikes just before half-time. A fine individual effort by Stuart Cannie put the Magpies back on terms and then Jamie Sturgess headed in Cannie's corner-kick. Guy Dipper struck with their third 15 minutes from time.

Seventh-placed Thatcham were spared a long and wasted journey to fourth-placed Portland United when heavy rain washed out their fixture in mid-morning.