Two goals behind midway through the second half, Winchester hit back to pull off a stunning 5-3 win over newly promoted South Premier League, Division 2 rivals Banbury at Drayton School.

It was Winchester's second consecutive win, which leaves them level with Fareham and Slough at the top of the table.

Banbury laid siege to the Winchester goal in the initial stages - only to find themselves behind when Andy Winnett's surging right-channel run created an opening for Ben Hibberd.

But last season's regional play-off winners rocked Winchester with a three-goal salvo from Simon Boardman.

Midway through the second period Winchester launched a thrilling comeback.

Teenager George Lambert cut the gap to 3-2 with a debut SPL goal and, five minutes later, won a penalty flick, which Hibberd converted to level the scores.

Within two minutes Winchester were ahead - Winnett sprinting half the length of the field on the break to set up the talismanic Adrian Wilkinson.

Banbury forced a flurry of penalty corners - to be denied by Ali Birch and one fine goalline save by Chris Ralph - only to be struck by a fifth Winchester goal.

This time Rob Duffy surged down the right and smashed a cross into the D, where man-of-the-match Winnett netted.

Winchester's fine start is in direct contrast to that of much fancied Trojans, who stumbled to a second consecutive defeat.

They lost 2-1 to Henley, another newly promoted side.

Trojans had enough of the first half play to have settled affairs before the break.

But all they had to show from their possession was a goal by ex-Havant player Tim Baralet-Leak.

Henley equalised through Ali Slay - from one of only two penalty corners in the entire game - and, after Dave Kelly had been sin-binned for a second yellow card offence, Chris Green grabbed the winner.

Trojans finished with nine men after Wayne Shepherd was carded late on.

Little is going right for Trojans' newly-promoted 2nd XI either.

Promoted to South Open Premier League Division 1, they lost their opener 3-0 to Fareham and then suffered a 7-3 spanking at Chichester. James Hayward, Glyn Treagus and Jaz Singh replied.

Fareham II caned Barnes 6-1 win at Henry Cort. The mercurial Alan Shorthouse (2) impressed on his comeback while Declan Colclough, Luke Gould, Danny Morgan and Ross Turnbull also netted.