TOTTON & Eling have done it at last!

After what seems like an eternity, the Millers have finally winched themselves off the bottom of the Sydenhams Premier Division.

With Fareham Town not due to play until this evening, it’s now the Creeksiders carrying the weight of the entire league on their shoulders following T&E’s tense 3-2 derby triumph over Fawley AFC at Miller Park.

“I wouldn’t say it was a good win, but it was a win!” said relieved chairman/co-boss Andy Tipp.

“We played well in the first half, but we let it go a bit in the second half and it was a question of just hanging on.

“It was always going to be tough and there was big sense of relief when the final whistle blew.”

Steve Jenkin gave T&E an early lead which was wiped out by Dylan Knight’s header for the Oilers.

The Millers were then awarded a penalty which Chris Marwood converted and, when his brother Steve Marwood got in on the act with a spectacular free-kick smashed into the top corner, Totton had valuable 3-1 breathing space at the break.

But it was a struggle after that with Tipp admitting: “It was hot and dusty, the pitch wasn’t great and both teams were just slugging it out.

“We had Sean New’s young nipper, Keenan, playing at centre-half, but he’s not the tallest, so Lee Thorne went on to do a job at the back.

“Fawley pulled one back at the end (through Kieran Earl) which looked like a foul on our keeper but the referee let the goal stand and it was all hands to the pump at the end.”

With three games to go, T&E are still three points behind third-to-bottom Christchurch with an inferior goal difference.

Priory, who notched up two big wins last week, added another point to their tally yesterday with a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth Poppies where Mark Smith’s penalty wiped out Connor Doe’s opener for the home side.

“We’d like to catch Christchurch, but we just don’t want to end up bottom,” said Tipp.

“Our result today puts pressure on Fareham and they’re playing (fourth-placed) Porchester tonight, so hopefully Portchester can do us a favour.

“We’ve got Winchester City away on Saturday, which obviously won’t be easy, but then Christchurch have got Petersfield and Winchester in their last two games. You wouldn’t expect them to get anything from those, but who knows?

“Our lads are just pleased to be off the bottom. It’s been a long time coming!”