Kieran Page grabbed a late winner as Fareham nicked a 3-2 victory at Chichester to keep alive their hopes of finishing Western Conference runners-up.
With Bristol University on the brink of the title, its effectively between Isca and Fareham who finishes second – the Exeter side going into the final two rounds of fixtures one point ahead and with a vastly superior goal difference.
Chichester twice took the lead in the Fareham derby, attacking down the flanks and taking free hits quickly, one such move culminating in Joe Bugden giving the city side the lead.
Soon after goalkeeper Alex White spread himself to deny Chichester the opportunity to double their lead, writes Mike Vimpany.
The opening quarter provided plenty of passion but a somewhat scrappy watch, Fareham beginning to keep possession for longer spells and equalising from a counter-attack, set up by Chris Davey and finished by sibling brother George.
Fareham goal joy as short lived as soon after Jack Lerwell controversially converted a penalty corner – Fareham claiming the ball didn’t cross the goal-line, but with no VAR or goal-line technology, the goal stood and Chichester led 2-1.
To compound Fareham’s misery, teenager Dylan Coleman was sin-binned for ten minutes following a physical challenge.
However, this proved the catalyst for a vastly improved second half performance by Fareham, who built their moves with greater confidence and began to enjoy more possession, with Niall Stott setting up the moves and the visitors’ midfield combining to greater effect.
Higher up, the evergreen James Seager produced his best spell of the season. His combination with Alex Jackson on the edge of the circle saw the teenager find a defender’s foot and Chris Davey tuck away the resulting short corner to make it 2-2.
With the restored Coleman linking effectively with Saints fan Sam Ratliff, Fareham looked increasingly threatening, but soon they were down to nine men with Jackson and Seager both sent to the cooler.
As Fareham creaked, White twice made match saving saves – his fine goalkeeping proving the inspiration for the visitors to snatch a late winner through the influential Kieran Page.
A trademark right wing attack found Ratliffe on the right shoulder of the circle. His strike into the near post area was met sharply by Page, whose deflection was decisive.
Fareham play their final home match of the season against fourth-placed Ashmoor at Henry Cort on Sunday, 1.30.

Matt Bennison grabbed a late equaliser as Chichester salvaged a 3-3 draw against Cardiff University, whose slick penalty corner routines threatened a Welsh student Western Conference victory.
Cardiff converted three of the six short corners they forced, including two in a frenetic initial 11-minute period which produced two goals for either side.
Tyler Meyer opened the university's account inside three minutes, but Chichester responded with two Oli Baxter strikes in quick succession, their second laid on by Matty Bell.
Will Hopkins made it 2-2 from Cardiff's next set piece to leave the scores level at the break.
​When Hopkins scored again seven minutes into the third quarter Chichester were left chasing the game.It looked to be a winner until five minutes from time when Bennison rushed in to convert a lagte chance created by Alex Baxter.

Fareham have been working hard on their penalty corner routines at midweek training sessions, so it was pleasing for coach George Harris that Niall Stott converted two set pieces which set up a 3-2 win over Plymouth Marjon.
Chris Davey scored a third goal in the closing stages before Fareham held out to claim their first three-pointer since the winter break.
They had previously drawn 3-3 with leaders Bristol University and been thumped 5-1 by Isca who, in turn lost 3-1 to the west country students, who enjoy a two-point lead at the top after 12 rounds of matches.
Harris described it as a “mixed performance. We struggled for fluidity in our out-letting due to the slow pitch, allowing Marjons to pack the middle and prevent us going down the sides,” he reflected.
Fareham fell behind to a sixth minute Ben Hedley goal but were ahead by half-time.
Keiran Page immediately impacted the game with some good link up play when he came off the bench.
Having found himself on the left side of the circle he  calmly found a Marjon defender’s foot when no better options presented themselves.
A slick penalty corner interchange between Chris Davey and Stott saw the former Scotland international dispatch into the top of the net.
Confidence was restored and Fareham started to control possession, but Marjons still looked dangerous. Harris admitted: “We failed to protect against the counter-attack maybe thinking we could score at will but Marjons continually found a high counter attacker and kept the game dangerously stretched. “However, with more of a foothold in the game our own attacks began to be more profitable in terms of D entries.”
Stott forced a sharp save from the top of the circle from a corner and soon after fired a rasping shot through a congested space to give Fareham a 2-1 interval lead.
Play became scrappy and disjointed, but the game opened up – only for Fareham to waste their chances.
Chris Davey got a key third goal for Fareham five minutes from time, after which both he and brother George missed gilt edged opportunities.
A yellow card for trainee go-kart enthusiast Sam Ratliffe left Fareham a player down for the closing minutes, during which time Matt Smith clawed a second goal back.
Ratliffe, a big Saints soccer fan, failed to apply the brakes as he slithered in for a tackle, bowling the entire Plymouth subs off their bench. He was promptly sent to the pits.
Goalkeeper Alex White made a fine save and Dylan Coleman scrambled one off the line as Fareham clung on to the points.