Hamble bundled Trojans off their season-long niche as South League Hampshire/Surrey Regional Division 1 leaders with a 4-2 victory at Stoneham Lane.

It was Trojans’ second consecutive loss and puts pressure on manager Mike Watts and his squad ahead of Saturday’s tricky visit to Chichester.

The previous week’s 4-3 defeat at Fareham and the absence of the suspended Ian Bassett seemed to have an effect on Trojans, who were chasing the game once Steve Barber got a deflection to brother Paul’s shot from outside the D and sent it past Steve Cole.

Hamble’s goalkeeper Steve Chalcraft beat out a penalty corner by Mike Swindin and denied Piers Everleigh.

His saves inspired Hamble, who doubled their lead with their second attack, John MacLeod scoring from a short corner.

Jack Culmer hit the Hamble bar before half-time, but soon after the break Matt Cross scored a third to leave Trojans in disarray.

A Colin French brace got Trojans back in the contest at 3-2, but Nick Williams bagged a fourth for Hamble.

Second-placed Fareham II swept into a 2-0 lead at Chapel Gate through Barton Peveril academic Simon Carty but, having led 3-2 at the break, were overwhelmed by a Bournemouth second half blast.

Luke Cornish added Fareham’s third, but Bournemouth won 6-3 through Richard Herring (2), Will Eveleigh, Richard Harrison-Paul, Jack Purrington and Mikey Warlow.

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