White hot Jamie the difference as Infinity defeat Paulsgrove in the Hampshire Premier League

Former Southampton striker Jamie White’s finishing was the difference in a 3-0 home victory over Paulsgrove.

That maintained boss Danny Thompson’s pre-season challenge to his men to go the whole of 2019/20 unbeaten in league action, and kept Infinity three points adrift of leaders Bush Hill with two games in hand.

Infinity had drawn 2-2 at Bush the week before - only the second time they had dropped points all season following a similar result against Fleetlands.

White - who played alongside the likes of Adam Lallana and Morgan Schneiderlin when he made his competitive Saints debut in a Championship game at Derby in 2008 - took his seasonal tally to 27 from just 19 appearances.

Of those, 21 have come in 14 league games and only injury can prevent him from getting close to equalling - or even bettering - last season’s 50-goal haul in all competitions.

White took just two minutes to open the scoring. Danny Phillips was allowed to get to the byline far too easily and his cross was swept home from close range.

It was 2-0 after 17 minutes when White collected a pass over the top of the defence before calmly netting past keeper Luke Shields.

That was a tad harsh on Paulsgrove, who had responded well to falling behind so early.

James Hird could have done better than to fire a free-kick right on the edge of the Infinity area in the defensive wall, while Gary Jeffrey’s shot was arrowing towards the top corner before it struck Luke Middleton and deflected for a corner.

At the other end, Phillips was clean through but shot wide.

In an end to end second period, Paulsgrove refused to roll over - Hird again twice tested keeper Tom Boyle from free-kicks and Preston Tee shot wide.

Andrew Powell rattled the Grove bar, with Wayne Boud’s follow up header ruled out for offside.

The next goal would be crucial, and it was White again who netted it 20 minutes from time.

Boud - voted his manager’s man of the match for a ‘great work ethic and quality’ - played a through ball which White latched onto and, after rounding Shields, tapped into an empty net after his first effort had hit a post.

After that, Infinity could have stretched their lead - Powell firing wastefully over and sub Kurt Watts seeing a far post header well kept out by Shields.

For all their efforts, Paulsgrove didn’t create much from open play.

Their clearest chance fell to sub Mike Chapman late on, but his close range effort was well saved by Boyle.