Midweek football: New Milton, Lymington, Bashley, Brockenhurst, Fawley, Totton & Eling, Hythe & Dibden and Ringwood FC all play

IN a rare night of success for both New Milton and Lymington sides, the midweek results were otherwise mixed for the remaining local teams in action on Tuesday.

It was another magnificent evening for the Linnets who are now only five points from safety with four games in hand on Frimley Green above.

They took apart an Andover Town side who sit just below them in the table, albeit now nine points worse off and looking very much like relegation fodder.

It was 5-1 in the end on a chilly evening away at Andover’s Portway Stadium, and included a cracker from Ollie Mayo and a late penalty save from keeper Jeremy James.

An eight-goal thriller saw Lymington Town grab three valuable points from Christchurch in just their third win of the season.

Town’s 5-3 victory at Gang Warily, near Fawley, still gives them a mathematical chance of survival, with three games left and seven points behind US Portsmouth, who have a game in hand.

Lyle Simpson came away with a hat-trick for Church, but it was all in vain as Town grabbed a rare victory through goals from Nicholas Magee, Kaden Traynor, Hugh Dathan and Aaron Christie (2).

An injury ravaged Bashley suffered a second home defeat in four days – 2-1 to Malvern – as the bench was drained of its paltry three substitutions, leaving just coaches Craig Stanley and Max Frampton.

Skipper Brad Morris, defender Jamie Webber, versatile Sean Wright and speedy winger Frankie Monk are all out injured. Top scorer Conor Whiteley is currently unavailable, and striker Josh Bertie was used as an emergency left-back – which meant Max Wilcock had to go it alone up front as the only available striker.

But after 10 cagey minutes, with little action at either end, it was Bashley who took the lead.

Luke Delaney set the scene by playing in Eddie Hodge down the right. He lost his nearest defender and rattled the ball high and handsome past Josh Bishop and in off the crossbar.

The lead, however, lasted only five minutes. Sam Hewitt took a throw-in wide on the Malvern left, and when the ball was returned to him he took a couple of strides before unleashing a worldy past Ross Casey and in off the far post.

Three minutes before half-time, Bashley fell behind. A harmless-looking lob in to the Bashley penalty area caused an unexpected problem, and neither Tony Rolls nor the onrushing Casey could stop Jack Watts lobbing it gently into the net.

Bashley now have to ease their aching limbs for a third game in six days, against Westbury at the GlenMex on Thursday.

It was fourth vs fifth as Brockenhurst hosted AFC Portchester.

Both sides are tucked into the play-offs, albeit the visitors with a significant points advantage over the Badgers who are nervously looking over their shoulders at three teams desperate to take that fifth and final spot.

And it was an injury time sickener which shared the points after Elliott Pearce-Eavis had given Brock the lead in the 34th minute.

Harrison Brook popped up in the 92nd minute for the Royals to put a slight dampener on Badgers’ captain Ronan Moore’s big night as he celebrated his 250th appearance.

Fawley AFC triumphed over Totton & Eling to leave the two sides eight points and eight places apart.

The Millers took the lead on 36 minutes with a shot from distance, but the Oilers hit back in the second half with goals from Dylan Knight in the 50th minute and captain Declan Hartigan in the 67th.

Meanwhile, there was a late flurry of goals as Hythe & Dibden hosted Baffins Milton Rovers at Lymington Town’s sports ground.

Hythe found the game’s first goal on 75 minutes, but Baffins hit back with substitute Arty Kerton’s goal in the 86th and the winner from Miles Everett in the eighth minute of added time.

Ringwood were unlucky to leave Hamworthy with nothing after Tyler Rudd scored a late winner for Rec.

The champions elect were made to work for their three points, Brian Foulger giving Hamworthy the lead with a header before Lee Vint hit home for Ringwood.

But Rudd settled matters four minutes before the end.