Lymington & New Milton boss Derek Binns admitted his team were lucky to get away with a point in last night's 2-2 Jewson Wessex League clash of the giants against defending champions Wimborne at Fawcett's Field.

Linnets hit back to lead 2-1 through a Brett Phillips double after Jamie Sturgess had fired Wimborne into a 13th-minute lead.

But Gareth Barnes bagged the equaliser three minutes after the break and Binns reflected: "We defended far too deeply in the second half and the damage could have been a lot worse."

The result leaves Lymington five points adrift of top spot with just one game in hand but, significantly, leaders Andover must themselves entertain Wimborne on Thursday.

Totton leapfrogged Thatcham into third by beating the Berkshire side 3-1 at Testwood Park courtesy of Darren Curtis, Roger Maynard and Kevin Reacord. Thatcham, who scored through Paul Worsfold, had Stefan Turton sent off in the second half.

Fifth-placed Fleet celebrated the permanent appointment of manager Tommy Taylor by triumphing 4-1 at Newbury through Matty Miller, Adam Deller-Smith, Aidan Kilner and Mark Frampton.

Hamble ASSC led by a Neil Janes goal against BAT before having Paul Vinton sent off for retaliation on 23 minutes. Tommy Pegler equalised from the resulting penalty, but the ten-man Planemakers edged it 2-1 through Darren Hedges on 68 minutes.

Brockenhurst rediscovered winning ways to beat Gosport 2-1 at Grigg Lane. Richard Cort struck with a 25-yard free-kick and Alex Rossi added Badgers' second before Borough's Jon Wallsgrove halved the deficit in stoppage time.

Dan West's header ended Bournemouth Poppies' six-hour goal drought in a 1-0 home win over Fareham, while Bemerton boss Steve Slade criticised his side's "terrible" second-half show despite hanging on for a 2-1 win over basement boys Portsmouth RN through Neil Cole and Carl Jones.

Whitchurch and Downton slogged out a 0-0 stalemate in front of just 22 spectators at Longmeadow while Christchurch (Brown, Charlie Dibba) finished 2-2 with Swanage (James, Gaskell).

l Havant & Waterlooville suffered their first defeat in seven games, beaten 2-1 at Welling in the Dr Martens Premier Division.

Hawks' striker Dave Leworthy was denied by a goalline clearance and a brilliant stop by keeper Glen Knight before substitute Charlie Side volleyed Welling into a 54th-minute lead.

Substitute Timmy Hambley set up Jamie O'Rourke for the 69th-minute equaliser but H&W were undone by Zeke Rowe just eight minutes from time.

l Basingstoke moved second in the North Hampshire pecking order - and fourth in the Ryman Premier - by eclipsing Aldershot 2-1 at the Camrose Ground.

Second-half goals from Rob Cook and Sean Gorman put Stoke in the driving seat before Stafford Browne hit back in stoppage time.

l Reserve team trio Martin Beck, Kevin James and Ollie Shaw are all on standby as Bashley seek to cut fifth-placed Hastings down to size at the Recreation Ground tonight (7.45).

Veteran Dave Puckett is a slight doubt with a calf twinge and assistant boss Trevor Senior said: "The three young lads have all been doing well in the reserves of late and deserve to come into consideration."