BOSS Adie Arnold revealed the build-up to Christchurch’s basement battle with Totton & Eling had been a “nightmare” but insisted: “It was all worth it.”

Mark Smith’s brace handed threadbare Priory a much-needed 2-0 victory over the Wessex Premier’s whipping boys at Little Testwood Farm.

Arnold, who had two players drop on the morning of the game said: “Only one of our named substitutes was fit to play so it was a real hassle.

“Going into such a big game like that was a nightmare and we told the lads we didn’t care how they won, just as long as they did.

“We played well in the first half and created enough to win three games. The second 45 minutes was as poor as I’ve seen since we’ve been here but we dealt with their set pieces and saw it through. It was a relief.”

Priory: Roast, Harris, Gunn, Swindlehurst, Clark, Saxby, Hampton- Brown, Moran (Wilgoss, 75), Vining, Smith, Lovell. Unused subs: Burden, Hill, Cullen, Fawcett (g/k).

  • Ringwood Town were replaced at the Wessex One summit by US Portsmouth following a tense top- of-the-table encounter between the early-season pacesetters on Saturday.

A hard-fought contest at Long Lane was settled in favour of the visitors by US Portsmouth’s leading scorer Michael Darke who bagged the only goal of the game after 40 minutes.

Darke chased down a through ball to the left-hand side of the penalty area and lobbed advancing Ringwood goalkeeper Nick Iles with some finesse.

Ringwood, who had the better of the second half without finding an equaliser, saw Sean Leadbetter’s free-kick just before the break superbly tipped on to the bar by US Portsmouth goalkeeper Peter Houkes.

Elsewhere in Wessex One, James Shering, substitute Bryce Banfield and Kabba Jack netted in New Milton’s 3-2 win over Pewsey Vale.