TOTTON'S set-piece mastery has left Swanage Town & Herston with a mountain to climb in the Jewson Wessex League Cup first round.

The Stags' 4-0 first-leg victory at Testwood Park last night included three goals from free kicks - one from Stuart Ritchie and a John Rowley double. Kevin Reacord completed the scoring in the 89th minute.

A Paul Palmer hat-trick gave Bemerton the upper hand 3-2 at Bournemouth Poppies (Dan West, Sheriff Anjorin), while Brockenhurst sneaked their home leg 1-0 against Newbury thanks to a 35th-minute Mark Jones winner.

Hamble ASSC still have every chance of JWL Cup progression after a fighting 4-3 defeat at Fleet Town. Matty Miller (2), Lewis Field and Mark Frampton struck for the North Hampshire side and the Planemakers responded through Louis Langdown (2) and Mark Allen. Two Tommy Killick efforts saw Wimborne draw 2-2 at Downton.

In the evening's only JWL fixture, Tommy McCormick's 45th-minute penalty for Thatcham sentenced Whitchurch to a 1-0 home defeat.

New signing Graham Lindsey from Fareham Sacred Hearts hit the target for Gosport in their 4-1 Russell Cotes Cup success at Horndean. He joined Simon Fitt, Robbie Savage and Jon Wallsgrove on the Borough scoresheet.

Hampshire's senior women got their South West Counties Championship campaign off to a flying start by crushing Somerset 7-0 at Blackfield & Langley.

Teenager Gemma Ritchie took centre stage with four long-range specials - two with her left foot and two with her right - and fellow Southampton Saints starlet Shelly Cox netted a 20-yard cross-shot which the keeper could only touch into the net.

Portsmouth's Stacey Niven set up one for Katie Poore before adding extra shine to the win with a header.