IT was a happy Easter for Salisbury FC fans as they brushed aside local rivals Bemerton Heath Harlequins 3-1 to move seven points clear at the top of the Wessex Premier Division table.

Goals from Kane O'Keefe, Ashley Jarvis and Stephen Walker meant it was an identical scoreline to the one when the two teams met on the bank holiday Monday after Christmas.

Realistically the Whites never got out of second gear, racing into a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes, but when Bemerton got back into the game with a wonderful second half goal through Tom Jeffes they quickly responded to restore the two goal cushion.

Storm Katie brought heavy rain and disruption to the south coast over the weekend but it was a pre-game twitter storm caused by Harlequins manager Graham Kemp which brought a spicy edge to the derby day encounter.

Just 3.1 miles separates Western Way from the Ray Mac and a large crowd of 620 packed out the Bemerton ground for the clash.

The vast majority were delighted after 13 minutes when Adam Kelly sprinted clear down the right hand side and perfectly picked out former Harlequins player O'Keefe who diverted past keeper Max Frampton.

Boss Steve Claridge had made nine changes from a 4-2 win against Folland Sports on Saturday as he showed the full extent of his deep squad. Kelly, making just his third start of the campaign, was at the heart of the action just moments later when a deep corner to the back post was pushed away by Frampton. The Whites forward then reacted quickest beating defender Richard Jackson to the ball who sent him sprawling to the turf.

The 19th minute penalty was confidently converted by Jarvis for his 20th goal of the season — sending Frampton diving in the wrong direction.

Neither side managed much else in the first half but Bemerton came out in the second period fighting and were rewarded with a sublime goal after 57 minutes.

Left back Sebastian Dawes effortlessly picked out Sam Griffin with a 35 yard cross field pass before he raced towards the touchline crossing for Jeffes who headed past Charlie Searle.

The home side were back in the game but any hopes of a comeback were quickly dashed when three minutes later Walker converted a goalmouth scramble for his 10th goal of the campaign.

After a triple substitution shortly after the hour mark the Whites continued to press and went close twice through the excellent Claudio Herbert.

Robbie Matthews also had the ball in the back of the net five minutes from time only for the linesman to disallow his right footed finish for an offside.

Second placed Blackfield & Langley take on Fawley on Wednesday night while the Whites play Horndean on Thursday. That will be third game for Salisbury in a run which sees Claridge's side play eight times in 18 days.