FAIRFORD Town maintained their narrow one point advantage at the top of the Hellenic League Division One West table with a 3-1 win away to New College Swindon.

The visitors started the game at a pace with James Lawrence-Forbes handed an early chance, only to be denied by a fine challenge from Robbie Hendry, before Nathan Gambling fired over a Jason Millhench cross.

The breakthrough came in the ninth minute when Lawrence-Forbes flicked on a corner and Dan Hale was on hand to give Dan Lawrence no chance.

New College found their way back into the contest after the early onslaught and Kane Howcutt tested Ben Mitchell with a header from an Adam Bright cross.

However, it was Fairford who doubled their lead when Jack Ellis played in Gambling, who took a touch onto his right foot in the box before firing past Lawrence.

College were back in the game three minutes before the break when a corner was taken short and Biagio Mazzotta laid the ball off to Bright, whose first time effort nestled into the top corner.

Fairford started the second half in the same vein as the first and should have extended their lead when Hale headed a free header in the box over the bar.

Jack Ellis had claims for a penalty turned away when he was challenged by Sam Grounswell before, at the other end, Jack Lowers fired in a speculative effort at Mitchell.

However, College were not able to force the issue and Lawrence-Forbes wrapped up the points in the dying seconds as Hale played him in to tuck the ball under Lawrence.