ADIE Arnold hailed persistent Christchurch for answering their critics after substitute Joe Wood rescued a last-gasp 1-1 draw at Hamworthy United.

Priory's burly frontrunner shielded the ball in a crowded penalty area and hooked a looping effort over United keeper Gerard Benfield, who had failed to claim the initial cross, as the clock struck 90.

The strike cancelled out Sam Carr's opportunist opener after seven minutes in a scrappy game of few chances, although visiting stopper Adam Tong was forced into a stoppage-time save from Jack Satterley.

The yield, coupled with Totton & Eling's 3-0 defeat at Winchester, saw relegation-haunted Christchurch move four points clear of the second-bottom Millers with two games to play, while backmarkers Fareham trail by six points with a game in hand.

Boss Arnold, whose side are unbeaten in five Sydenhams Wessex League matches, told the Daily Echo: "I don't think we have done enough yet and I won't feel that way until we are mathematically safe.

"All we have done is put a bit more pressure on Fareham and Totton & Eling. Earlier in the season, they had the bit of breathing space with a couple of games in hand but they don't have that any more.

"The game was like a cup final for us. You get butterflies in your stomach, that constant feeling that you need to get something out of it, and I am not normally a nervous person.

"Now, we have put that kind of pressure on them. It is in our hands and they cannot afford to slip. A lot of people had written us off but I think we have shown something about us in the past five or six games."

On the match, Arnold added: "Hamworthy started both halves well and camped in our half a bit. From their point of view, they could not get that second goal to kill it after the break.

"In the last 20-25 minutes we got a few more bodies forward and while we didn't create many clear-cut chances, I felt we deserved our point."

Hamworthy counterpart Shane Traynor said: "The positive thing was that we didn't lose the game and we highlighted that with the players afterwards.

"If you're not playing well, making sure you get a point can be the next best thing. The way we battled was encouraging."

Traynor confirmed Hamworthy striker Sam Carr had been stretchered off with a suspected broken ankle late on.

Hammers: Benfield, Walker (Jacob Wood, 79), Cole, Horlock, Haysom, Legg, Hill, Daysh, Satterley, Carr (Clayton, 82), Bayston (Brock, 73). Unused subs: Rose, Collins (g/k).

Priory: Tong, Cullen, Swindlehurst, Dand, Grace, Saul, Mark Smith, Cunniffe-Pilley (Joe Wood, 58), Lovell, Saxby, Fairbrother. Unused subs: Vining, Goodship, Banfield, Fawcett (g/k).