SOUTH Berkshire’s MBB&O Division One promotion hopes were given a boost after they beat Newbury & Thatcham 2nds 4-2, writes Richard Ashton.

Dan Ray scored twice and Neil Bennett and Will Simpson were also on target for the fourth-placed hopes, who closed the gap on the side one place above them to three points. Ian Anderson and Matt Burnett were the Newbury goalscorers.

South Berkshire – who are four points adrift of Bicester in second – face a vital trip to the Oxfordshire side on Saturday.

Mike Baylis, Ryan Kaley and Sam Pillar got the goals for South Berkshire 2nds, but a double from Prabjot Hunjan , allied to a Rohan Chana strike, earned Ramgharia a point in a 3-3 draw.

In Division Three, promotion-chasing South Berkshire 3rds walloped West London 8-3.

Tom Scott struck a brilliant hat-trick to take his seasonal tally to 11 goals, while there were braces for Duncan Clarke and Ashley Holden.

The hosts’ scoring was rounded off by Alex Elkins, leaving South Berks five points off a top-two place, but with two games in hand on Gerrards Cross.

Rizwaan Maan got two goals for the visitors, with the other scored by Amin Maan.

Mid-table South Berkshire 4ths earned a point from their 2-2 Division Five draw at Phoenix & Ranelagh.

Logan Russell and Matt Taylor were on target for South Berks, but a Bradley Wallace double meant the spoils were shared.

Rock bottom South Berkshire 5ths were beaten 5-3 by Oxford 7ths in Division Seven, but South Berkshire Terriers kept their Division Eight West promotion dreams alive with a 6-1 demolition of basement side Reading Rascals.

South Berkshire Ladies remain fourth in Premier One of the Trysports Three Counties League after they drew 0-0 with Oxford 3rds. They travel to the side one place above them, Maidenhead 2nds, on Saturday.

South Berkshire 2nds look increasingly likely to be relegated from Premier Two after they were beaten 2-0 at Marlow 2nds, leaving them seven points adrift of safety with only four games left in the campaign.

In Division Three, South Berkshire 3rds were beaten 1-0 at Phoenix & Ranelagh 2nds.