WINCHESTER City hit the Sydenhams Premier Division summit last night with a comprehensive 5-1 win at Lymington Town.

Neil Hards’ men may only be keeping pole position warm for title favourites Sholing, who are one point behind with six games in hand, but they are looking good for the runners-up spot.

Having taken the lead when Chris Mason curled a sumptuous left-foot strike into the top corner, Winchester were pegged back by a Shane Sims free-kick which made it 1-1 at the break.

Once Chris Flood had slid in at the back post to bury Liam Robinson’s cross, the goals came thick and fast for the visitors.

Flood went on to complete his hat-trick, heading in James Ford’s centre before flicking in Mason’s corner.

In between, ex-Stockbridge man Daryll Phillips thumped home from 12 yards.

This Saturday Winchester travel to Folland Sports who themselves pulled off a significant win.

The Planemakers had a nightmare start at Bemerton Heath, falling behind in a matter of seconds.

But three goals in the last 20 minutes saw them home 3-1 through Mike Turvey, Matt Burt and Ryan Long.

Sholing’s scheduled trip to AFC Portchester fell foul of a waterlogged pitch, as did the Sydenhams League Cup semi-final between Petersfield and Whitchurch at Alresford.

But the Russell Cotes Cup quarter-final at Fareham Town did survive the rain – the Creeksiders edging Romsey 3-2 to book a semi-final trip to the winners of tonight’s Christchurch versus Gosport Borough tie.

Fareham led 2-0 at half-time through Blu Boam and Ian Humble, but Romsey had their share of chances with Ross Gregory, Danilo Cadete and Jordan Sako going close.

Gregory headed home a corner to make it 2-1 and the visitors should have equalised when Fareham ’keeper Luke Douglas kept out Ryan Lambert’s bullet header but Sako blazed the loose ball wide.

With ten minutes left Ash Tattersall made it 3-1 to Fareham, but the Bypass boys were awarded a free-kick straight from the kick-off which Craig Bryant drilled home from distance.

The home side were then given a penalty for a foul on Mark Cotton, but Romsey ’keeper Brad Snelling got down to his left to deny Mark Wheeler.

Moneyfields’ season has lurched from bad to worse after having six points docked by the Sydenhams Wessex League.

The Dover Road outfit were thrown out of the FA Vase, along with opponents Bitton AFC last week, after a mass brawl broke out during their third round tie.

Now Moneys have been hit by a points deduction after failing to get international clearance for striker Steve Hutchings following his return from Australia.

Moneys clawed back one of the lost points last night in a 2-2 Sydenhams Premier draw at Horndean.