WINCHESTER City eased to within three points of the Sydenhams Premier summit with a 3-0 victory at Lymington Town tonight.

Two first-half goals from Warren Bentley and a second-half Chris Mason strike secured their fourth league win of the season.

“We’re starting to be where Tim Cole and I want us to be with our passing and movement,” said satisfied co-boss Danny Robinson.

“We played better on Saturday (a 2-2 draw with Blackfield & Langley), but we took that performance into tonight.

“Lymington’s a difficult place to come. John Pyatt’s put together a good side full of Wessex League experience and with Jack Odam and James Davis lively up front.

“But tonight we were at our attacking best.”

It needed a last-ditch Luke Dempsey challenge to stop Davis’ 20th-minute run at goal and, just seconds later, City seized the lead when Bentley capitalised on an excellent through-ball by Liam Green, making his first start of the season.

Zach Glasspool headed against the crossbar before Bentley struck again on 35 minutes, leaving Mason to crown victory from Ryan Holloway’s cross.

Newport IoW edged a point clear at the top with a 1-1 home draw against Graham Rix’s AFC Portchester.

The Islanders took a 13th-minute lead through Ryan Oatley, but Louie Castles hit back just after the half-hour to earn Portchester a share of the points.

Rock-bottom Totton & Eling took another pounding, losing 5-0 at home to Andover Town.

Former Winchester City powerhouse Michael Dixon struck twice for Andover, backed by Nic Turpin, Craig Blakeman and Gunner Yates.

The point-less Millers have already shipped 35 goals in just eight league games.

It was a disappointing night too for former league leaders Brockenhurst, beaten 3-0 at Horndean.

But the good news for the Badgers is that long-serving wide man Mark Barker has turned down an approach from Moneyfields and committed himself to Grigg Lane for the foreseeable future.

Fareham Town extended their unbeaten run to five matches with a 1-1 draw at Hamworthy United.

Wayne Boud capitalised on a defensive error to put Town ahead against the run of play, but the lead didn’t last long.

Hamworthy, whose manager Graham Kemp has been linked to the vacant Dorchester Town post, hit back straight after the break.