WITH only five points separating the top seven teams in Hampshire Division 1, it is essential to take every opportunity to stay in the race and that's exactly what Southampton's first team are doing at the moment.

Despite fielding a side with an average age of 19 owing to injury and unavailability, they were still able to defeat Yateley 3-1 thanks to Kelvin Wyat,t before a penalty flick from Chris Ellis and a piece of individual magic from Matthew Mayes completed the scoring.

You could have been forgiven for thinking you were seeing double as the seconds also recorded a 3-1 victory over Yateley seconds. This time the goals came from Pete Graham and Eric Holt (2), with goalkeeper Paul Howarth also in fine form.

The city side enjoyed a comprehensive 6-1 win for the thirds over Andover thanks to Steve Quinn (3), Dave Holt, Andy Rowe and Mark Day to swap places in the league.

The fourths also met Yateley but only drew 1-1 courtesy of Dominic Gordon.

Salisbury Swifts proved too strong as they outshot Southampton fifths 6-3 with Southampton's goals coming from Michael Foulds and Greg Zillman (2).

The Mixed XI drew 2-2 against New Milton with Luke Knight and Maggs Ingram scoring.

Table-topping Hamble thirds scored all their goals in the first half as they defeated Southampton sixths 3-0. Honours were even in the Masters' local derby with Trojans which finished 1-1 with Paul Meacher netting.

The senior Vets were in another local derby with Fareham and returned home victorious with a 3-2 win thanks to goals from skipper Geoff Danby, Pete Terry and Ralph Turner.

The Otters overcame a lowly Bournemouth third side 6-3 with Matt Swzinto and Danny Morgan braces helping the tally.

Trojans didn't have a very happy new year as they crashed 5-1 to Bournemouth while OEs' thirds defeated United Services Portsmouth 3-2 through JP Fenton, Glyn Treagus and Matt Hind.

Hamble carried on where they left off before the Christmas break with the firsts beating Salisbury 4-0 in another game in which Hamble dominated. They netted from an early penalty corner when Dave Kelly hit a nice reverse shot on the re-bound.

Paul Barber netted the second with another penalty corner on the stroke of half time.

Mark Wakefield scored the third midway through the second half with a simple push in after an excellent individual run down the wing from Duncan Marsh. Wakefield poached his second after Barber did all the hard work.

Hamble seconds were also victorious over Salisbury 5-2 thanks to a Barber hat-trick, Spencer and Butler, the thirds defeated Southampton 3-0 with Phillips and Stubley (2) netting, while the fourths lost 9-1 to Petersfield with Phillips scoring the consolation.

The under-16s finally lost their unbeaten record when they were beaten 9-0 by Havant in the National Cup.

However the youngsters still remain unbeaten in both the league and Hampshire Cup.

* For results and league tables see today's Southern Daily Echo.