BOSS Adie Arnold admits new first-team coach Andy Darnton will need broad shoulders to halt Christchurch’s spirit-crushing habit of collapsing at vital times.

Second-bottom Priory slipped to the seventh straight defeat in all competitions with a 3-0 reverse at Alresford on Saturday with Arnold’s charges still shipping more than three goals per game in the Wessex League.

But with trusty ally Darnton – who worked with Arnold at previous club Verwood – joining the backroom staff following his departure from Bashley, the Hurn Bridge manager hopes to inject some enthusiasm into a flagging campaign.

Arnold, who confirmed defender Jamie Thoroughgood had followed Darnton to Christchurch, told the Daily Echo: “Darts is the sort of character we need and we hope to get in two or three faces on the playing side over the next week or so.

“We work very well together and he has great contacts in the Southampton area. His experience at Southern League and Wessex league levels speaks for itself but his personality will be just as important.

“We need two or three characters because we have no backbone at the moment. At 0-0 we look okay but as soon as a goal goes in we collapse. I know the confidence is low but we need people to roll up their sleeves and get us out of a hole.

“I have been in the game a long time and never been in a run like this as a player or a manager. We’re all in it together but we do need to boost things with three or four people who can just give the whole atmosphere a lift and Darts will give us a little spark.”

Priory: Roast, Wilkinson, Clark, Haysom, Hill, Saxby, Harris, Cullen, Cunniffe-Pilley, Vining, Lovell.