VERWOOD Town’s Sydenhams Premier relegation fears intensified with a 5-1 drubbing at Andover's Portway Stadium.

After a less than convincing start, Andover seized a 35th-minute lead when player/assistant boss Zach Glasspool netted his tenth of the season after a neat one-two with Reece Rusher.

Verwood responded when Liam Donachy got on the end of a partially cleared free-kick, but the hosts hit back through Shane Lock to go in 2-1 up at the break.

Andover ’keeper Lloyd Thomas made one top-drawer second-half save, but it was mainly one-way traffic as new strike signing Victor Gutierrez, Liam Gilbert and Sam Pekun – making his 50th club appearance – sealed the north Hampshire outfit’s biggest win of the season, shifting them up to tenth.

Verwood remain rooted to the foot of the table, four points adrift of Fawley and Whitchurch United.

Whitchurch lost Saturday’s relegation ‘six-pointer’ 1-0 at fellow strugglers Cowes Sports.

Jordan Browne settled the issue for the Islanders with a first-half header from Dexter Malin’s free-kick.

The Jam Boys had a potential equaliser ruled out for a foul from a corner.

That result piles the pressure on Whitchurch to bank all three points at Longmeadow on Wednesday (7.45pm).

Their opponents are Bashley, who held in-form Bemerton Heath to a 1-1 weekend draw at Western Way.

Having passed up one good opportunity, Kabba Jack fired Bash ahead on 14 minutes, latching onto a poor back pass before beating Jason Collins in the Harlequins goal.

That lead looked to have been doubled by Dan Munday, but his shot was miraculously cleared off the line by full-back Jordan Cole with Collins stranded.

Bemerton had been second best to that point, but clawed back with a 69th-minute Jack Slade leveller after a delightful cross had flat-footed the Foresters’ defence.

As Bash pushed again, Collins – named man-of-the-match – twice denied Jack before brilliantly arching back and finger-tipping away sub Harry McGrath’s looping header.