Fareham Town's prospects of Jewson Wessex League survival got a four-point Christmas boost - at a cost of losing two of their most influential midfield players.

Paul Reed broke his leg in Saturday's 2-1 win over Hamble, and Rhys Jones was taken to hospital with a broken jaw as Fareham battled out a goalless draw with Gosport Borough yesterday.

Struggling Fareham overcame Reed's untimely loss to beat Hamble ASSC through strikes by Olli Bennett and Dave Lennon. It was their first JWL win since the opening day of the season.

Despite a flurry of second-half chances, the Fareham v Gosport derby ended in a goalless deadlock, although Borough's John Wallsgrove hit the woodwork late on.

Fareham's four-point Yuletide haul left Portsmouth RN - beaten 4-0 at Moneyfields - anchored to the basement.

Newly-promoted Blackfield & Langley are only two points clear of the drop zone after goals by Phil MacDonald, Nigel Stevens and Andy Sampson gave Cowes Sports a 3-1 win at Westwood.

But it's status quo at the top, where Andover maintained a six-point lead over Lymington & New Milton with a weekend double against BAT and Whitchurch United.

Dave Asker and Danny Mattingley got the goals in the 2-0 win over BAT, with Andy Forbes hitting a brace in yesterday's 4-0 victory against Whitchurch United.

Asker and Vince Rusher got the other goals as Andover toasted a 17th successive JWL and cup victory.

Lymington, who snatched a 1-0 win over Portsmouth RN through Stuart Hussey's injury-time goal, had former Salisbury City striker Nick Miles to thank for a hard-fought 2-0 win over Brockenhurst.

"The best Brockenhurst side we have played in ten years," complimented Lymington boss Derek Binns.

Third-placed Thatcham Town, whose seven-match winning sequence was interrupted by Saturday's 1-1 draw with Fleet, nicked a late winner to beat Berkshire neighbours AFC Newbury 3-2.

Tommy McCormick's late goal clinched it after Paul Odey had twice cancelled out Thatcham leads by Richard Grist and Andy Gray.

Kevin Reacord, who scored twice in Totton's 3-2 pre-Christmas win over Newbury, was again on target in yesterday's 3-1 victory against BAT.

Reacord grabbed Totton's second after Steve Jones had levelled Roger Maynard's opener.

John Rowley's early second-half strike ended any prospect of a BAT comeback.

Champions Wimborne Town, facing a seven-match fixture backlog, played their first JWL game since November 18 and beat Swanage & Herston Town 3-1 through Jason Lovell, Andy Barham and Ben Osborne.

A Ricky Fernandez brace - the first from an exquisitely taken free-kick - gave Eastleigh a 2-0 advantage over Hamble, while Michael Maher scored both Christchurch goals in the 2-0 win over Bournemouth.

Christchurch had goalkeeper Max Frampton sent off in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Eastleigh, who were denied a rare away win by Luke Gogan's last gasp equaliser.

Bemerton scored twice inside a minute immediately after half-time to force a 2-2 draw at Downton..