Lymington & New Milton and AFC Newbury turned up the heat on Wessex League pacesetters Winchester City with vital victories last night.

Ian Robinson's Linnets are now second in the table, just two points behind the leaders with a game in hand, after comfortably seeing off Forest neighbours Brockenhurst 4-0.

Newbury had a far tougher time of it away to championship rivals Gosport, but Saturday's FA Vase quarter-finalists edged a tight game 4-3, seemingly leaving Borough's title hopes in tatters.

Lymington powered out of the blocks to storm 3-0 up inside 20 minutes at Grigg Lane.

A surging run by recent Salisbury target Pete Smith set up Kevin James to thump in a 20-yard opener and then Michael Jackson struck twice - first a volley and then a chip over goalkeeper Ollie Rastall, who was standing in for the unavailable Iain Brunnschweiler.

Linnets took their foot off the pedal for the rest of the half, but added a fourth soon after the break through Darren Crook.

Robinson, who hails from the Southampton area, admitted he had underestimated the importance of this Forest derby in his early days at the club.

He recalled: "We lost at Brockenhurst 2-1 on Boxing Day last season and to me it was just another game. I didn't realise it meant so much to people at the club.

"After last year's fiasco I felt we owed something to the committee and the lads responded with a sound performance. The goals were good and we were pressing all round the park."

Brock boss Graham Kemp, a former Linnets stalwart, observed: "Lymington are confident, they're flying high and they'll finish top two.

"Tonight wasn't like a local derby, it was one of the cleanest I've seen, but what pleased me is that we didn't throw the towel in after going 3-0 down in 20 minutes.

"Lymington are a good side and I've no complaints about the result but it's disappointing that all four goals were stoppable. Two came from mistakes on the edge of the box. That's the last thing you need against a side like Lymington."

Defences were definitely not on top at Privett Park where victorious Newbury boss Guy Whittingham admitted: "There were chances at either end and Gosport were as guilty of missing them as we were."

Borough's watching midfielder Darren Robson agreed: "It could have been 8-8. The second half was really end-to-end.

"Losing is a big kick in the teeth for us. It means we're reliant on other teams blowing up - but I live in hope!"

Gosport drew first blood through Graham Lindsey, but Sam Rae headed an equaliser and then Shane Small-King made it 2-1 to Newbury at half-time.

Lindsey's cross-cum-shot levelled matters 2-2, skipper Ashley Vine nudged the Berkshire side back in front only for Gosport's Neil Scammell to beat keeper Dave Hook in a one-on-one.

Newbury's unlikely late hero was Anthony Alleyne, who hadn't hit the target since November.

Whittingham said: "Realistically, Gosport are out of it now because they've lost too many games, but they'll want to keep winning because the other teams have been dropping points and you never know what can happen.

"Lymington are going well, but a lot depends on how team morale is at Winchester. I feel sorry for Neil Hards (Winchester manager) because he's got a great side there and they deserved promotion last season."