TROUBLE in the NHL last Saturday with ABC United's away game with RS Basingstoke Res being to be abandoned after 70 minutes. ABC were leading 3-2 with goals from Pete Robinson, Charlie Spencer and Dave Newsum when the referee called a premature halt to the game.

In the other games played runners-up King's Somborne were twice behind at Ludgershall Sports but salvaged a a point from a 2-2 draw with goals from Wayne Wassell and Michael Jackson.

In the ADL, Vernham leapt into second spot with a 4-3 win at Winchester Labels after Chas Taylor ran the length of the pitch to score a last-gasp winner.

Vernham's other scorers were Dave Marr, Mark Rowland and Paul Wilson but Labels looked to have gained a point until Taylor made his move.

In the second division Wayne Churchill's St Ives gained their 17th successive win with a 3-0 victory at Burghclere while Borough Arms kept alive their hopes of finishing runners-up after goals from from Simon Peacock and Roger Willoughby gave them an excellent 2-1 away success against Whitchurch 'A' - the side currently in second spot.

Over Wallop warmed up for their Andover Advertiser Cup semi-final with Borough with a 5-0 trouncing of Picket Piece Res with Mark Durrans scoring a hat-trick and the other goals coming from Dean Cresswell and Gordon Blaikely.

In the ADSL, leaders Fred Druce ran hot and cold when beating New Street 3-2 with first-half goals from skipper Paul Reidy, Andy Tobin and Kevin Davies. Street came back to dominate the second half and went close to causing an upset with two goals from Sam Rea.

Roger Purdue and Andy Meighham's Cross Country Couriers backed Barton Stacey came from a goal down to beat Boot Inn 4-1 away . Brendan Clarke notched the equaliser, Danny Sullivan and Gary Nowell added further goals for the village side before the break and Matt Belbin added the fourth in the second half.

Wyke Down hauled themselves off the bottom of the second division with a superb 3-2 home win against Swallow. Trailing 2-0 at the break, Wyke Down turned the tables in the second-half with goals from player- manager Ian Price and Gareth Legg before man-of-the-match Gary Parker hit a worthy winner to secure a rare Wyke victory.

Barton Stacey Res had to settle for a point from a 1-1 draw with Ram Inn after failing to capitalise on a number of chances in a closely fought game. Nic Turpin put Barrie Purdue's side ahead on the half hour and Ram Inn equalised just before half time.

In the fourth division, Borough Arms' new manager Keiron Mountjoy got off to a winning start when goals from Steve Arnold (2), Ian Rogers, Karl Smith and Gary Gillies gave the Andover pub team a 5-0 win away to bottom club AFC Wallop.