WITH seven shots at survival left, Adie Arnold is still searching for two key ingredients at Christchurch – composure and discipline.

Priory mustered plenty of endeavour and the odd moment of quality in a tense, scrappy 2-1 defeat to Whitchurch United.

The elder statesmen of Hurn Bridge combined to put Christchurch in front as Mark Smith’s pinpoint delivery was steered back across goal by old mucker Gareth Barnes after 27 minutes.

But a match that had started with so much promise rapidly descended into chaos for the hosts.

Long, hopeful balls from the visiting Jam Boys suddenly had the home backline scattering like ants and it came as no surprise when Tom Lockyer was afforded an abundance of space to level within three minutes.

And with the need for cool heads never more apparent, it was Priory’s senior stars that lost their way.

Barnes was somewhat fortunate to escape with a yellow card following flagrant dissent towards referee Nigel Whitfield, with Smith equally preoccupied with the man in the middle either side of his caution for a late tackle.

Ill fortune played its part as well. Christchurch had what Arnold described as “a stonewall penalty” turned down early in the second half and Barnes spurned “a sitter” moments before United’s second.

A moment of hesitation from converted centre-half Jack Lovell preceded Scott Hassell’s well-weighted ball into the left channel for Danny Phillips to stroke past advancing stand-in keeper Dan Fawcett.

The complexion of the game quickly changed with Whitchurch content to sit in while a reinvigorated Christchurch upped the ante.

Nathan Saxby’s sweet half-volley drew a spectacular one-handed save from Brad Snelling but that was as good as it got as Priory’s sporadic pressure came to nothing.

“The game summed up our season,” sighed Arnold. “We were the better side for the first 25 minutes but once we got our noses in front, we played with fear.

“The ball was like a hot potato. We gave it away, stopped playing and allowed them back into it.

“I would like us to show a bit more bravery because in the first 25 minutes we showed we were not a bad side. I think that is down to the players’ personalities to a degree.

“But any neutral would have struggled to tell which the difference between sixth and third bottom and I could not fault the lads, they did as we asked and put in a real shift. We just need to dig out a result from somewhere.”

Christchurch have yet to win in 2015 but still remain just above the Sydenhams Wessex Premier relegation zone after second-bottom Fareham Town drew 1-1 at backmarkers Totton & Eling.

“The teams below us have cut each other’s throats to a degree but that will not happen every week,” added Arnold.

“I think it will go right to the wire. Totton & Eling are on a bit of a roll but have a lot of games to play.

“Fareham, like us, are in free fall and I think it will come down to who gets the next win.

"It’s down to who can hold their nerve and I hope our lads can take on board what we are saying to them, to just relax, play and hopefully get the rub of the green.”

Priory: Fawcett, Morse (Banfield, 79), Saul, Lovell, Dand, Cullen, Smith, Cunniffe-Pilley (Goodship, 83), Barnes, Saxby, Vining (Swindlehurst, 79). Unused subs: Ondreskuvil, Glatzel.

  • Interim chairman Mick Ryan confirmed the Christchurch committee had met to informally sanction Fiona Legg’s appointment as chairperson.

In line with the constitution of the club, the motion is set to be ratified at an extraordinary general meeting on March 30.