CHRISTCHURCH’S grip on the Wessex League Cup was all but loosened inside the opening minute of their 3-1 defeat by Blackfield & Langley in the third round at Hurn Bridge.

The holders were reduced to 10 men after goalkeeper Jason Collins had been judged to have felled Alex Baldacchino inside the box following a break straight from kick-off.

Replacement Max Frampton failed to prevent Baldacchino from netting the resultant spot-kick to leave Graham Kemp’s men facing an uphill battle.

Russell Cook’s goal for Priory was sandwiched between further strikes from Baldacchino and Nathan Lynch as the Watersiders progressed.

Christchurch boss Kemp said: “I was a long way from the incident and didn’t get a good view. I spoke to people who saw it and they said Jason had definitely caught him even if their player may have been offside. I’m not going to bleat about it though.

“We were outstanding in the second half and should have scored a couple more goals. Blackfield are a good side and to play them with 10 men for more than 89 minutes was a tough ask.”

Priory: Collins, Thompson, Taylor, Legg, Magookin, Burt (Puckett, 65), Smith, Burden, Griffin, Cook (Osborne, 65), Cornick (Frampton, 1). Unused subs: Dand, Cullen.

  •  Goalkeeper Kenny Vaughan was the penalty shootout hero as Bournemouth Poppies laboured past Fleet Spurs in the third round of the Wessex League Cup.

Following a 2-2 draw, the Victoria Park club eventually made it through 5-3 on spot kicks after Vaughan had saved an Alex Jeffers effort.

Vaughan also excelled during the match, making a full-stretch save from Adam Webb during extra-time.

Poppies fell behind to a 68th-minute strike from Jeffers before Connor Phillips scrambled home.

Phillips then fired what appeared to be the winner 10 minutes into extra-time, only for Sam Knowles to level from the penalty spot with two minutes to go.

Poppies: Vaughan, Wilson, Jackson, Clarke, Crutcher, Ward, Maguire, Phillipson-Masters (Molyneaux, 101), Swann (Hatch, h-t, Watt, 75), Saadi, Phillips. Unused subs: Lepage, Coverley.

  •  Tommy Donaldson netted a deserved consolation as New Milton suffered an unjust 2-1 defeat at GE Hamble in Wessex Premier.

Linnets: Hookway, Blackburn, Pidgley, Booker, Curtis, Head, Molloy, Proctor (Holland, 65), De’ath, Donaldson, Mullins (Barge, 78). Unused sub: Sampays.