JUST how significant this victory will prove to be when the title winners are decided for the Sydenhams Wessex Premier Division, time will tell.

But Alresford Town are well and truly in the box seat at the top of the table going into the new year following their battling victory over fellow title contenders Portchester.

This win put them six points clear and while the chasing pack all have games in hand, all of them would swap places with Alresford and much rather have the points on the board.

This proved to be a tight, nervy 90 minutes between two evenly-matched teams but in the end the Magpies had the better of the play in the final third of the field to be able to grab the goal they needed to secure all three points.

Alresford went close to taking the lead on 18 minutes when Duarte Martens got clear down the right and played Mike Gosney in as he burst into the penalty area but home keeper Brad Snelling blocked his low shot at the near post.

The Magpies went close again four minutes later when Dan Vickers stole possession of the ball from Liam Bush. Vickers then drove forward and hit a low shot towards goal which took a slight deflection and Snelling had to knock the effort behind for a corner.

Alresford eventually took the lead on 33 minutes following a throw in on the left. The ball was worked to the byline and pulled back across goal and, after being partially blocked, it ran to Craig Harding, who tucked it away from close range.

Portchester started the second half quickly and created two good chances inside the first five minutes. A throw in on the left was flicked on by Jason Parish to Dan Wooden, who in turn played the ball towards Nathan Paxton. From the edge of the box he tried to fire his first-time shot home but put it high and wide of the target.

A corner from the right then went too deep and cleared everyone before substitute Owen Fee turned the ball back across goal and Paxton put his header over from six yards.

On 68 minutes a pass was slipped through from midfield to Parish, who unleashed his shot towards goal and keeper Matt Fredericks had to dive to his right to turn the ball around the post.

Parish went close again on 72 minutes when he received the ball on the edge of the penalty area. He curled his effort towards goal and Fredericks had to make a fine one-handed save to his left to push the shot around the post.

On 79 minutes Martens picked up the ball on the left edge of the penalty area but his first-time shot flew wide of the far post.

In injury time a deep free kick from the left was floated into the penalty area by Ellis Martin but both Paxton and Parish failed to connect with the cross and the ball dropped harmlessly wide.