EVERYTHING seems to be falling into place for Hants Premier title-chasers Stockbridge - even the results of their opponents!

Barry Andrews' side are now lying third in the table after last Saturday's 5-1 roasting of Brading and after Tuesday night's games trail leaders Pirelli General by nine points but have 10 games in hand on them as well as all the other teams in the chasing pack.

Andrews admits that they are well placed and that results seem to be going their way but said that they still had a lot of games to play with Pirelli General and second placed Poole still to visit the Recreation Ground, and also have to play Vospers both home and away.

Andrews was none too pleased with last Saturday's first-half showing. "There was plenty off effort all over the field but we're a bit better than that now and managed to sort it out with a half-time chat," said the 'Bridge boss.

Jay Mann put them ahead on the half hour after good work by Colin Vince but Brading took only two minutes to level after a break on the left. Second half 'Bridge got their act together and a further three goals in 12 minutes settled the issue.

Paul Sanders slotted home their second, brother Sean made it 3-1, five minutes later Paul struck the fourth to clinch the points and Sean finished Brading off with the fifth 10 minutes from the end. "We did the business in the second half," added Andrews.

Tom Strauss took over in goal after Steve Whitcher had spent the night in hospital after he was taken ill but he still came along to watch the game.

Stockbridge (3-5-2): Strauss; Allen, Savage, Thomson; Vince, Poultney, Butcher, Atkins, Sanders (P); Mann, Sanders (S). Subs: Sibley (for Vince 70), Smith (for Butcher 75 misn), Andrews (for Atkins 85 mins).

'Andover New Street showed what they can do when they have a full squad when holding Hants Premier high-flyers Vospers to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday night, "We're still missing loads," said manager Danny Mulberry, "but we played quite well."

He added that they had were beaten 3-0 by Vospers just a few weeks ago, which showed how much they had improved since then.

They had Andover's Alan Kennedy again playing wide on the right, Dave Tasker replaced the unavailable Titch Bloomfield in goal, Steve Marks was back in midfield and also had new signing Danny Flitter from Lymington Town making his debut in defence. Mulberry has also put in a seven-day approach for former Romsey striker Michael Jackson who has been knocking in the goals this season for King's Somborne in the NHL.

Street went ahead midway through the first half with a goal from Steve Mayne - his first for the side - but Vospers equalised midway throughtthe second half.

Andover New Street: (3-5-2); Tasker; Richmond, Turner, Flitter; Kennedy, Marks, Styles, Dunn, Turpin; Tobin, Mayne. Subs: Cooper (for Styles 60 mins), Hyde (for Mayne 75 mins), Gilbert (not used).

Mulberry had been hoping to build on last week's 2-1 midweek win at Ringwood but last Saturday's 2-0 home defeat at home to Alton left his side languishing in the lower half of the Hants Premier.

Mulberry strengthened his defence with Gavin Richards, who left for Salisbury's second string earlier in the season, adding muscle to the back line after his JWL game had been called off.

Street however finished the match with only 10 players after veteran defender Shaun Rogers was sent off 20 minutes from the end for an off the ball incident in the Street area during the usual shoving a pushing for a free kick. "He swung an arm and unfortunately caught one of their players in the face," explained Mulberry, "but had he thrown a punch I don't think the other guy would have got up so quickly."

Street, with 'keeper Titch Bloomfield making all the important saves, went behind after 33 minutes but they were a bit unlucky as they stopped playing after some confusion arose over a throw in. It had been awarded to Street but the referee gave it the other way and Alton were quick to capitalise with half the Street defence caught out of position and an early cross ended with Bloomfield being beaten from close range.

Street looked lightweight in attack and what chances they did create they squandered. There was no way back for them after Rogers' dismissal and Alton also got the run of the ball with their second goal 15 minutes from the end. It rebounded off the heel of defender Michael Richmond to give an Alton forward a clear run at goal and he gave Bloomfield no chance.

New Street (3-5-2): Bloomfield; Richards, Rogers, Richmond; John, Styles, Swayne, Dunn, Turpin; Mayne, Tobin. Subs: Mulberry, Prosser, Horne (not used).

Broughton flattered to deceive when losing 3-2 at home to high-flying Alresford in Hants Division Two last Saturday. "We got exactly what we deserved - nothing!" summed up the village club's manager Howard Goddard. Goddard added that the result didn't interest him because Broughton were never got out of the starting blocks. "We started off in a lethargic manner and never improved," he said. "I wasn't upset with the result but the way we played. We had worked hard in training but we were not mentally up for it and I told the lads that they can't turn it on when they want like a light switch."

The absence of striker Joe Kearney, who suffered whip last in a car accident last week, didn't help the Broughton cause and they were trailing 2-0 before Gary Lane scored for the home side right on the stroke of half time. It should have been the spur they needed but they never got out of first gear in the second half.

Broughton (4-4-2): Nicel; Rose, Collis (P), Fayer-Honour (G), Palmer (D); Porter, Maddocks, Woodley, Randall; Lane, Griffiths. Subs: Cullen, Cavill, Neil Collis (not used).

Overton boss Colin Phillimore refused to use the fact that he had a depleted side as an excuse for last Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Otterbourne in Hants Division Two.

Phillimore said he was missing four players from the previous week but still should have been good enough to have at least gained a point. "Like most of this season's narrow defeats the opposition shaded it on effort, workrate and a will to win," he said.

The game itself was an evenly contested affair, with few chances falling to either side. Overton were punished with 15 minutes remaining, when a poor clearance resulted in an Otterbourne long throw being knocked on for a forward to head home unchallenged.

Overton (4-4-2): McCord; Ralph, Wheeler, Blackburn, Michael Taylor; Osmond, Weaver, McCann, Watts; Chambers, Wright. Sub: Hastings (for Osmond).