Top score about to beat bottom score in the column (7)
I believe the answer is:
telamon
'the column' is the definition.
(telamon is a kind of column)
'top score about to beat bottom score' is the wordplay.
'top score' becomes 'ten' (I've seen this in another clue).
'about' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'to beat' becomes 'lam' (I've seen this in other clues).
'bottom score' becomes 'o' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'lam'+'o'='lamo'
'ten' going around 'lamo' is 'TELAMON'.
'in' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for telamon that I've seen before include "male supporter" , "Column" , "Atlas" , "supporting pillar in the shape of a man" .)