Andy Forbes is aiming to continue his remarkable scoring streak against Guy Whittingham's AFC Newbury tonight, with Winchester City insisting: "He's not for sale."

Forbes, who is under contract at Winchester until 2006, took his tally for the season to 27 with his fourth hat-trick of the campaign at Moneyfields on Saturday.

He has now scored 106 goals in 72 games since he and Matthew Bicknell joined Winchester from Andover for £5,000 15 months ago.

The 23-year-old, who began his career as a right-back with Reading, is now worth far more than that.

Winchester City director of football David Malone said: "Andy Forbes is an absolute gem and should really be playing for a club like Yeovil or Bournemouth, but there are not many clubs that could afford him.

"A Conference club made an inquiry about him earlier in the season and talked in terms of £10,000, which I wouldn't even consider. If a club came in with an offer of £50,000 we'd obviously have to seriously think about it, but I don't think Andy would want to go.

"He's an unusual character. A lot of lads would give their right arm to play League football, but he wouldn't. He's got a good job with an electrical company in Reading and is very happy to progress with us.

"This season we've gone up a level but he's scoring at a better rate than he did in the Hampshire League. He must be the leading non-league scorer in the country at the moment and is better than the strikers I've seen play in England's non-league team."

Winchester boss Neil Hards played with former Pompey, Aston Villa and Sheffield Wednesday striker Whittingham at Waterlooville before the AFC Newbury manager embarked on his career in league football.

He said: "Andy is the best striker I've seen outside league football but he and Guy are different sorts of players.

"Guy was a very hard-working player who grafted and was very fit. Andy doesn't work as hard as Guy did but he's sharper around the box and has phenomenal all-round ability.

"He is like a magnet to the ball, he's always in the right place at the right time in the box and has tremendous technique.

"On Saturday his second goal was a volley from 25 yards after the ball came over his shoulder. He's not the tallest but he manages to out-jump 6ft 5in defenders."

Winchester's attacking options have been given a further boost following the signing of Liam Gearing, who arrives on loan from Newport IOW.

Gearing is expected to be on the bench against AFC Newbury tonight and helps compensate for the loss of Ian Mancey, who broke a hand against Cowes Sports earlier this month.

Whittingham has a full strength squad to choose from.

Hards added: "Newbury will be in the shake-up at the end of the season so this is the first of two hard games as we've got Lymington & New Milton on Saturday.

"Guy's done a good job there, he's got a tremendous amount of coaching experience and has got Newbury playing the way he wants."