Gosport Borough were indebted to John Robson's tactical nous when they burst Lymington & New Milton's unbeaten Jewson Wessex League bubble with a 3-1 victory at Privett Park on Saturday.

But though Borough boss Gary Lee admits he owes the Winchester City boss a favour, he has no plans to return it at the City Ground tonight when the two sides go head to head in the Hampshire Senior Cup third round.

Hampshire League scoring sensations City are unbeaten in 27 games this season and have rifled in 113 goals. They showed no respect for Wessex reputations when they turfed Lymington out of the Russell Cotes Cup 1-0 last week - and Robson was only too happy to share the secret of their success with tonight's visitors.

Gosport's assistant manager Hughie Doyle was Robson's right-hand man at Alton Town last season and Lee revealed: "Robbo told us all about Lymington's strengths and weaknesses and we went into Saturday's game tactically well prepared. We stopped a couple of Lymington's playmakers playing and reduced them to long-ball stuff which our defenders were just eating up."

With Winchester hotshot Andy Forbes already on 37 goals and new signing Ian Mancey getting off the mark as a substitute on Saturday, Winchester possess a frontline to be feared.

Lee said: "Forbes will cause you trouble all the time and Mancey's also a handful. I think we'll go up there as underdogs tonight, but we're more than up for the battle."

Young Gosport striker Mark Peach is doubtful tonight after taking a knock against Lymington, but Navy wing-back Dave Wilson could be back in the frame after two months away on a fire-fighting course.

City are without injured trio Steve Waite, Jason Ahmet and John Mulhern, while Mancey - who only recently returned from a lengthy suspension with Fleet Town - will probably start on the bench.

With Brockenhurst awaiting in the FA Vase this Saturday, City have the chance to take a trio of Wessex scalps, but Robson is making no rash forecasts.

He said: "We'll look forward to tonight the way we do every game. If we win it's great news, but if we lose we'll take it on the chin and move on."

Lymington's defeat at Gosport denied them the chance to depose Eastleigh as leaders of the Wessex League.

But the Linnets get a second bite of the cherry at home to basement boys Whitchurch United tonight and manager Graham Kemp insisted: "We can't afford to dwell on the Gosport result. I'm still confident, upbeat and believe in my players 100 per cent."

Steve Strong is Linnets' only injury doubt after being hurt in a collision with Gosport 'keeper Andy Smith - an incident that saw the Borough stopper sent off.

The night's other Wessex fixture takes the JWL's last remaining unbeaten side, AFC Totton, to Thatcham Town.

Basingstoke Town's conquerors Sutton United await Havant & Waterlooville should they make it through to the FA Trophy third round.

The Hawks will get a January 11 visit to Gander Green Lane if they get past tonight's tricky replay at Billericay Town (7.45).