Hardwicke pushed second-placed Lebeq United all the way before going down by the odd goal in seven in the County League.

The visitors, who are eighth in the 17-strong division, were ahead within the first minute – Tobie Webb heading home Paul Carter’s corner from the right after just 55 seconds.

Lebeq responded and Hardwicke keeper Mark Harris pulled off a great save to deny Rick Davis at the near post.

Harris was soon in the thick of the action again and again it was Davis who was disappointed as the keeper somehow manged to keep out his volley before fisting it away.

Harris denied Davis again before then saving from Elan Plummer.

Hardwicke were under the cosh but on a rare attack they had a chance to stretch their lead but Steve Bick lifted the ball over the keeper and the bar.

That was just a moment’s respite for the visitors because after Fabian McCarthy saw his shot cleared off the line they were level four minutes before the break.

Elan Plummer got the goal and it could have been worse for Hardwicke but for Harris’ heroics as he pulled off another save to deny Cameron Brown at the end of the half.

Harris was powerless to do anything about Sheldon Sawyer’s shot from 25 yards, however, which gave the home side the lead 10 minutes into the second half.

But just two minutes later Hardwicke were level and it followed a Paul Carter free-kick out to James Ratcliffe on the edge of the 18-yard box.

He headed the ball goalwards and the ball bounced in front of the Lebeq keeper Maciej Jesionowski and over his head and into the net.

On 70 minutes Harris was in action again this time saving Nathan Hall’s 20-yard shot.

But Lebeq retook the lead on 78 minutes following a short corner on the left. Rick Davis made the angle for a shot and drove it past Harris from the edge of the box.

Two minutes later and it was 4-2 after a scramble around the six-yard box saw the ball break to Fabian McCarthy who drove home.

Hardwicke were not finished though and straight from the restart the ball was threaded through to Steve Bick who got himself into a great position to fire the ball across the keeper into the far corner.

Leaders Thornbury Town maintained their nine-point advantage at the top with a 3-0 win over Ruardean Hill Rangers.

Goals by Craig Lancastle, Pete Fowler and Brandon Benjamin did the damage although Luke Johnson had a great chance to score just before the hour mark for the visitors when he was left unmarked on the penalty spot but his shot was smothered by Thornbury keeper Lee Mason.

Frampton United climbed up to fourth with a 2-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Patchway Town.

The visitors had a chance to go ahead on 25 minutes when Dan Rees was put through but shot just wide while a last-ditch tackle by Joe Dalby denied Manolo Espada just before the break.

However, Frampton were ahead midway through the second half when Ryan Vincent stabbed the ball home after a scramble in the box.

The points were wrapped up in the 75th minute when Shaun Lawson headed home.

County League results: Hanham Ath 3 Kingswood 0; Lebeq Utd 4 Hardwicke 3; Little Stoke 4 Southmead CS Ath 0; Patchway T 0 Frampton Utd 2; Thornbury T 3 Ruardean Hill R 0; Wick 1 AEK Boco 2.