Hot shot Adrian Wilkinson hit another hat-trick as Winchester beat Henley 5-2 and so remain hot on Fareham's tails at the top of South Premier League, Division 2.

The one-time England international has now scored 14 goals this season and is the division's leading marksman.

But it wasn't all good news on Winchester's vice-president's day.

Chris Ralph suffered a double break of his hand parrying a Henley penalty corner and, like John Saltmarsh who suffered a serious facial injury the previous week, can expect to be out of action until the new year.

Winchester found themselves chasing the game early on when Aly Sly burst from midfield to roof a shot past Ali Birch.

It needed a desperate tackle from Ralph to deny Henley a second as Winchester held on.

But the City slickers gradually began to get a foothold in the game, with Mark Vowles and Wilkinson going close before the league's top scorer eventually converted a penalty corner equaliser just before the break.

Birch kept the scores level with a fine save immediately after the break and gave Winchester the lift to go on and take the initiative.

Andy Winnett made it 2-1 with a timely deflection from Wilkinson's pass at a short corner but the game flowed from end to end with Winchester defending a brace of set pieces.

Two goals in 90 seconds - and a yellow card for Henley's Rich Woolfry - turned the game in Winchester's favour.

First Wilkinson pinched the ball off a Henley defender and, from 25 metres out, picked his way through a flurry of tackles before drawing the goalkeeper to walk the ball into the net.

Then ten-man Henley failed to clear their lines safely and Pete Rowland picked out Winnett to lob the keeper.

Winchester seemed to be cruising, but a well-worked Henley goal by Chris Green ten minutes from time put some edge back into the game.

Again, Birch had to be at his best to keep another effort out, but Winchester had a fifth goal in the tank - Kent Langridge and George Lambert combining to set up Wilkinson's hat-trick goal.

Trojans were held 2-2 at lowly Tulse Hill & Dulwich.