Two left in Premier title race

They took a fifth-minute lead though Scott McGleish but Hampton skipper Darren Powell levelled it in the 16th minute with his first goal of the season. Billy Jeffreys put Hampton ahead with 20 minutes left, his first of the season as well, and Joe Turner made it safe in added time.

So Stones dropped back to third place and stayed 10 points adrift of table-topping Whitehawk with only three matches left to play.

It looked as if it would be an even better night for Whitehawk when Daniel Jones equalised in the 88th minute for nine-man Thurrock against Lowestoft at Ship Lane.

But Josh Dawkin struck in added time to give the Trawlerboys a 2-1 victory and they reclaimed second place, nine points behind Whitehawk with two games in hand.

Thurrock had Matt Turpin sent off for a stamp after 15 minutes and when Scott Curley received a second booking in the 54th minute for handball he also conceded a penalty which Hakeem Araba converted.

The short-handed hosts refused to surrender and almost had their reward when Jones drilled the ball past Andy Reynolds, only for Dawkin to deny them.

(Pictured by D Purday: Thurrock keeper Will Viner punches clear under pressure.)

Both top clubs are now hoping that rivals from their own county can do them a favour, for if Bognor deny the Trawlerboys maximum points in Sussex on Saturday, Hawks would travel to Suffolk to face Leiston on Sunday knowing that a victory would clinch the title.

The other vital game in the division came at the other end of the table, where the bottom two clashed at Hastings. It turned out to be a night to forget for the hosts, who slumped into last place after crashing 4-1 to Carshalton.

The Robins, making a great late fight to avoid the drop, climbed above Lewes as well, leaving Sussex clubs occupying both relegation places.

Hastings, steadily frittering away their games in hand, fell behind to Luke Pigden’s early strike but levelled in the 11th minute through Jack Dixon.

The decisive moments of the game arrived soon after half-time, when two goals in as many minutes from James Ashton and Ola Sogbanmu put the visitors 3-1 up. Nathaniel Pinney added a penalty, his 20th goal of the season.

Hendon have suddenly joined the scrap for play-off places after their 1-0 win at Leiston. Their second away success in three days brought them to within four points of fifth-placed Met Police. Jack Connors was on target in the 69th minute.