ALEX Browne presided over an agonising defeat for Wimborne in the West Country and then offered a rational assessment of his position as manager.

The Magpies were sentenced to a fifth successive Division One South & West reverse when Almonds striker Dean Griffiths shattered them deep into stoppage time.

A Gareth Barnes double had seen the visitors claw back a 2-0 deficit before Wimborne had laid siege to the hosts’ goal in search of a winner.

But they were sucker-punched when Griffiths countered to grab his second of the contest, heaping the pressure on Browne and leaving his team perilously close to the relegation zone.

Browne, however, is used to handling the heat that comes with managing Wimborne having seen his post come in for close scrutiny last season.

As Magpies’ Wessex League promotion push faltered in January, Browne was shocked to discover that Alex Pike had been lined up to replace him as he listened to a radio interview with the former Cuthbury boss.

Asked whether he thought further speculation would greet this latest run of poor results, Browne, who ultimately led Wimborne to the Southern League for the first time in their history, replied: “To be honest, it’s not about me, it’s about Wimborne Town.

“If people think that someone else would be better for the job then I would shake hands with everyone and that would be it.

“As a manager, you know you are going to get the sack at some stage. That’s the way it works and, unless you are Alex Ferguson, it’s a matter of time.

“I was immensely proud of the players against Almondsbury. It’s about what is best for them and what is best for Wimborne Town as a club. What will be, will be. I’m a fairly laid-back type of character and it’s not something I’m worrying about.”

Browne was forced into a number of late squad changes after several key players had declared themselves unfit to travel to Bristol. Youth team pair Tom Hunt and Luke Powell were both drafted in at the 11th hour, while Browne was also on the bench.

And Wimborne were left staring down the barrel when Griffiths added to Mike Whit-tington’s 35th-minute opener to double the Almonds’s lead with just 18 minutes left on the clock.

But a stirring comeback saw Barnes net twice within the space of four minutes before Magpies pressed furiously for a winner with Almonds goalkeeper Lee Matthews thwarting them with a string of fine saves.

“We were outstanding,” added Browne. “The players could have gone into their shells and chucked in the towel after we had gone 2-0 down. But, to a man, they were excellent. They were disappointed but if they do half of what they did against Almondsbury then things will turn very soon.”