Lymington & New Milton boss Graham Kemp was not gloating over news of Eastleigh's unexpected home slip-up against Andover.

Saturday's 3-1 victory at Thatcham has moved the unbeaten Linnets to within a point of the league leaders, but Kemp believes Eastleigh's defeat should serve as a warning to his players that shocks can and will happen.

He said: "That result should keep us on our toes too. Eastleigh are a cracking side, but this shows that even they're capable of slipping up and you've got to remember that what you've done last week counts for nothing today.

"My whole side's playing well at the moment from goalkeeper Steve Staples right through to Leigh Phillips up front but, as I've said all along, the league's not going to be decided in November or December. There's a long way to go yet and I'm certainly not getting carried away.

"We've just got to make the most of it while Eastleigh are dropping points because there's inevitably going to be a stage when we hit a bit of a rough patch."

It was Phillips who got the ball rolling at Thatcham with his 24th goal of another prolific campaign, side-footing home Steve Strong's left-wing cross in the 37th minute.

Staples got down well to save in a one-on-one with Jamie Green before Paul Gazzard pounced to double the Linnets' advantage after Phillips's header from Anthony Tilley's cross had hit the inside of the post.

Bournemouth trialist Kevin Gill centred for Strong to volley home number three on the hour and, with the Foresters easing their foot off the gas, Thatcham replied late through youth team player Ian Davies.

"On paper it was our toughest challenge of the season so far and I'm pleased with the way we came through it," said Kemp.

But he warned: "We haven't played the likes of Eastleigh, Totton, Wimborne, Andover and Gosport yet, so there's plenty of games where we could drop points."

It was a profitable day too for Lymington's near neighbours Christchurch who steamrollered struggling Blackfield 5-0 at Gang Warily.

And it was the lad nicknamed 'Forrest Gump" who did the bulk of the damage for Priory - energetic wing-back Duncan Wells weighing in with a hat-trick.

"We call him Forrest Gump because he never stops running," smiled co-manager Tony Brown. "His defending's not always what it should be, but the lad's got such a good engine on him and, on his day, he can be one of our best players."

Wells hit a first-half hat-trick, including one from the penalty spot, and midfielder Rhys Dear compounded Blackfield's misery with a goal in each half.

"It was one of those days you don't get too often when we just sat back in the dug-out and enjoyed it," said Brown. "Blackfield were very open at the back, but credit to them, they never stopped working."

Wimborne manager Paul Arnold was incensed by events at The Cuthbury where the game against Gosport was abandoned at half-time due to heavy rain.

The Magpies were leading by a 35th-minute Gareth Barnes goal at the time, but it was the needless cutting-up of the playing surface that really got Arnold's goat.

He said: "It was the right decision to call the game off, but it was made at the wrong time.

"Because we played for 45 minutes, it has absolutely ruined our pitch. We have spent a lot of time and money on it, so it's very annoying.

"The referee should have been at the ground at one o'clock and not when he arrived at ten past two. By the time he arrived I think he felt obliged to play the game because Gosport had turned up.

"I know they've got a difficult job to do but, for me, the pitch now is unplayable and this game should never have been started."