WIMBORNE Town signalled their title intentions by wrecking Gosport Borough's 100 per cent record with a well-deserved victory in a real Cuthbury cracker.
Goals from Stuart Cooper and a first for the club from Nicky Plank ensured Paul Arnold's men moved menacingly into fourth and showed they fully intend to be in the shake-up come May, despite a mixed start to the campaign.
However, the fine success was overshadowed by a sickening late injury to promising Magpies youngster Mark Walker. The 19-year-old has just forced his way into the starting line-up but suffered a cruel blow when, with just 10 minutes left, he turned to shoot but his standing foot stayed trapped in the turf.
The game was held up for half an hour as an ambulance arrived to take the luckless Walker to hospital where it was later confirmed he had broken his fibia in two places and he looks set to be in plaster for at least six weeks.
"It was such a shame for Mark as he was having a great game for us," reflected Arnold.
"He has just forced his way into the side so it's awful for the lad."
And while the injury cast a dark cloud on proceedings, the Magpies boss was pleased with his side managed to secure the three points for their hospitalised team-mate.
He added: "My big concern was after the long hold-up, we might lose concentration as games can go a bit flat after things like that but a lot could have happened in those last 10 minutes.
"I got them all together and told them to make sure we won the game for Mark and on the whole, it was probably our best performance of the season."
With the front pairing of Gareth Barnes and Cooper proving a thorn in Gosport's side early on, it was no surprise when the on-loan Dorchester winger put the home side in front after 20 minutes.
Good work from Marcus Oldbury on the byline set up a shooting opportunity for Walker and although his shot was parried, Cooper was on hand to gleefully smash home the rebound.
Plank doubled the advantage on the hour with a shot driven in at the far post but Magpies were pegged back when Adam Camfield planted home a firm shot from just inside the box but the hosts hung on for the points.
Wimborne Town: Kearn, White, Roast, Atkins, Plank, Arnold, Woods, Oldbury (Coleman 85), Cooper, Walker (O'Connell 80), Barnes. Unused sub: Briscoe.
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