ALEX Browne has quashed speculation he walked out on struggling Wimborne after their 3-0 home defeat against Abingdon.

But the under-fire manager admitted he held crisis talks with Magpies chairman Ken Stewart following Saturday’s game.

Browne, whose second from bottom outfit have lost nine successive Zamaretto One South & West games, also revealed he deliberately stayed away from the dugout during the first half of their 3-0 midweek defeat at Sholing.

That was in answer to rumours doing the rounds in non-league circles he had failed to turn up at the ground until half-time.

Stewart has denied another rumour that Browne had been given three games to turn things round at Cuthbury.

Asked if that was the case, Browne said: “I don’t think you have to be a rocket scientist to work out the next two games are key to what happens in the rest of our season.

“The difference between no points and six points from those is massive. Not just in terms of points, but how everyone responds after that.”

Browne, in his first managerial post, added: “I was disappointed with the result and a couple of other things on Saturday.

“I had a chat with the chairman and vice-chairman but what was said will remain between us.

“I wasn’t best pleased with a lot of things. It’s a frustrating time. There are a few of us who have a lot of things to do.

“Because of some of the things in the paper, I wanted to concentrate the players’ focus on Tuesday’s game at Sholing, not on me, because it’s not about me.

“It’s about them trying to give the team the best chance to get a result.

“I watched the first half from the stand on the other side of the pitch from the dugout.

“It’s higher up and gave me a different perspective, but I was back in the dugout in the second half (with assistant manager Darren Powell).

“There are one or two managers around who court publicity and it’s not my type of thing.

“When things are going badly you have to try and let the players prepare properly to do their jobs without being distracted.

“Me going in the stand was something we’d talked about but not really done.

“I will be in the dugout tomorrow, but it’s all of us together and we just have to make sure we stick together. Hopefully my presence in the dugout will make that all apparent.”

Dominic Allen and James Wilson return to Wimborne’s squad for tomorrow's clash with basement side Andover at Cuthbury (3pm), but Paul Roast is suspended and Billy Elliot unavailable.

Magpies: (from) Malara, Yelland, Cole, Curtis, Lloyd, Culliford, Green, Stokoe, Barnes, Hunt, Chudy, James, Lockyer, Dom Allen, Wilson, Walker-Harris.