Gosport Borough remain one step ahead of Lymington & New Milton in the race to finish third in the Sydenhams Wessex League.

While Ian Robinson's Linnets kept up the pressure with a 4-0 home win over Hamble ASSC, Borough were busy demolishing Bournemouth Poppies 6-1 at Privett Park to maintain their two-point cushion over the New Forest side.

While Borough wind up the season at Thatcham on Saturday, Lymington go to FA Vase finalists Winchester City who have already sewn up the league title.

Gosport boss Mick Marsh admitted: "All I hope is that Neil (Winchester manager Neil Hards) sends out a strong enough side to win that game. Mind you, if we beat Thatcham it doesn't matter."

Marsh's belief that lack of goals has cost Borough a top-two spot was frustratingly apparent in Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Andover. Last night he urged them to start scoring again - and they responded with goals by Graham Lindsey (2), Fraser Quirke, Ian Rew, Danny Sturman and Stuart Hensman. Warren Doyle pulled one back for Poppies, who had a player sent off for swearing midway through the second half.

Quirke, 37, had an outstanding game with Marsh admitting: "He was awesome. He scored one and had a hand in most of the other goals."

Kevin James played a big part in Lymington's success, scoring one against Hamble and earning his side two penalties.

Kevin Reacord broke the offside trap to give the Linnets an interval lead and then James slotted home Ben Thomson"s cross from the left before twice being upended in the area.

Thomson hit the bar with the first penalty, but the referee spotted encroachment and he retook it with a Thierry Henry-style flick. Veteran Jimmy Sheppard, back after a 42-day suspension, scored the second spot-kick to end his long goal drought.

Winchester City rested several of their galaxy of stars but still came away from Totton handsome 4-0 winners.

Two Adam Rogers crosses proved Totton's first-half undoing with Kevin Brewster heading home the first on 15 minutes and then Stuart Cooper following suit ten minutes later for his first Winchester goal.

Cooper - a recent signing from Dorchester - delivered for Matt Bicknell to make it 3-0 on the hour and then, with time running out, he beat four players on the edge of the box and laid the ball back for Bicknell to set up Brewster to fire home.

Brockenhurst manager Graham Kemp hailed the 2-0 home win over Andover as: "The best we've played all season."

According to Kemp, Lions boss Brian Le Boutillier only had himself to blame for seemingly overlooking the Badgers in Monday's Echo.

He said: "It"s probably me reading too much into it, but he spoke about bringing on Wimborne this Saturday and he didn't give us a mention. I took that to mean they were expecting to roll us over."

Two goals from Keith Williams did the trick - the first from Paul White's cross and the second from a Dan Marks delivery flicked on by Nick Kemp. Victory guarantees the one-time strugglers at least a ninth-placed finish.