Winchester City moved within four points of the Hampshire League Premier Division title with a crushing 5-0 victory over East Cowes Vics at Abbots Barton on Saturday.

For City it was sweet revenge for last season when Vics effectively cost them the title when they beat them at Whippingham.

This season there has been a chasm between the two sides. City won 5-0 at Whippingham early in the season and duplicated that winning margin on Saturday thanks to a powerful second half display.

At half-time only a Matthew Bicknell goal separated the two sides. Bicknell curled home a free-kick then missed out from the penalty spot later in the first half.

Vics folded after Danny Smith rounded off a fine move for City's second goal just after the break. Smith then became provider for Ian Mancey, who added his second on 87 minutes to take his tally for the season to 47.

Mancey's striker partner Andy Forbes reached 50 goals recently and Mancey looks set to join him soon. Kev Brewster completed the napping of Vics in the last minute.

Second-placed Vosper Thornycroft went a goal behind to Locks Heath in the first minute and had to wait until the last minute before Gary Male, with his second goal of the game, clinched a 2-1 victory. Male levelled the scores on the hour when he headed home a Marc Diaper corner.

Hythe and Dibden almost ensured they won't finish in the bottom two when they overpowered Aldermaston 5-1 in the basement battle at Jones Lane. It all started to go wrong for bottom side Aldermaston when they lost their centre-half with an injury midway through the first half. Hythe, two up at the break, wore the opposition down in the second half with Lee Conner (2), Richie Barnes, Andy Lonsdale and Darren Clarke doing the business.

Fawley look set to stay with Aldermaston in the bottom two after falling 5-0 at Lymington, who came to the boil after the break with four of the goals. Billy Stride headed Town into an interval lead then Scott Metcalfe, Malcolm Barry, with two penalties, and Will Kitcher finished the job. It was a satisfying afternoon for Town's defensive kingpin Nigel Mottashed who had to play in goal with the club's five 'keepers all unavailable.

Verwood moved within a point of Division 1 leaders Hayling United when they beat Fleet 2-1 to avenge a defeat two weeks ago.

The derby match between Ordnance Survey and Queens Keep, who used to be neighbours at the Civil Service Ground in Shirley, ended in a goalless draw. Queens were bolstered by a handful of Brendon players, but Survey had the best of it with Queens 'keeper Matt Coffin often denying them.

Fareham Town Reserves celebrated clinching the Combination 2 title last week by putting seven past Fawley Reserves. Combination 1 has also been decided with the title going to Paulsgrove.

l Former Fareham Town footballer Barry Brear, 57, collapsed and died over the weekend soon after returning home from a training run.

A defender with vision and time on the ball, Brear played full-back for Fareham throughout the 1970s and was picked on several occasions for the Hampshire FA representative team.

After his spell in Hampshire League football, Brear played locally and was an influential member of the Park Lane Old Boys side which dominated Meon Valley League football for many years.

Brear's other love was cricket. He played for Good Intent and Park Lane before joining Gosport Borough, where he was the club's second XI opening batsman.