Bishop's Watham Town showed why they are rated one of the most improved sides in the Premier Division of the Hampshire League when they upstaged title-chasing East Cowes Vics at Whippingham.

Vics are just about the only side keeping pace with top-dogs Winchester City - but they lost ground after a shock 2-1 reverse against a Town side who saved the best for last.

Adam Holbrook gave Vics a deserved half-time lead with a cracking volley but Town came fighting back with substitute Andy Nash making a difference when he came on in midfield.

With just five minutes to go, Barnes unleashed a long throw which was flicked on for Alan Mills to score with a header at the far post. And there was little over a minute left when young Craig Rickman skipped past two players to get the winner.

The result was a bonus for Vosper Thornycroft who are battling Vics for second place. After high-scoring cup wins last week, the Boatmen changed down a gear at Lymington and were flattered by a 3-0 victory courtesy of goals from Dean Byrne, Mike Spinney and young substitute Ross Hammond, the last two goals coming in the final 15 minutes.

Midfielder John Stevens scored his first-ever goals for Locks Heath - two of them - in a 4-3 victory at Horndean. Locks scored three times going down the slope in the first half, then Horndean hit back to equalise, their third coming from a penalty after Locks 'keeper Matt Willsher had been harshly penalised after apparently taking the ball cleanly off a Horndean striker. Ian Stocks argued too strongly and was sent off.

Locks manager Kev Parris says justice was done when a great Dave Hepple run ended with him being brought down in the box and Scott Mills stepped up to convert the spot- kick.

Paul Beesley rattled the woodwork early doors but it was the nearest Pirelli came to scoring against a much- improved Hythe and Dibden, who netted twice before half-time to take the points at Chestnut Avenue. Former Barry Town winger Mark Evans, who came on for his Pirelli debut, couldn't lift the Cablemakers back into the game.

Defending First Division champions Portchester reeled off their fourth straight win when they came back from a goal down against former leaders Verwood to win 4-1 with goals from Kev Squibb, Adam Homan, Jim Sweeney and Mark Greening, who had an outstanding game.

M & T Awbridge kept their recent revival going in Division 2 when they toppled promotion-chasing Hedge End 4-2. Former BAT striker Dave Kemp got two of the goals, with Seef Anwar and Mike King hitting the others.

Titch Lang was the hat-trick hero of Colden Common's 3-2 win at Whitecroft Barton in the second round of the Hampshire Intermediate Cup.