BOSS Matty Holmes believes his side “deserved a minimum of a point” after pushing high-flying Hendon all the way.

Magpies were beaten 3-2 in a thrilling Southern League South contest at Silver Jubilee Park.

Goals from Toby Holmes and Franklyn Clarke did not prove enough for the visitors as they suffered their seventh loss in 11 league games.

Manager Holmes told the Daily Echo: “Everyone on their side would agree they were lucky to get the three points. We deserved a minimum of a point but we have to take good heart from it.

“For us to have them play with no real centre forward during the last 10 minutes and just drop everyone back was a credit to what the lads did.

“We just ran out of time and couldn’t get the equaliser, which I think was fully deserved.”

Wimborne were left shell-shocked after Romario Jonas’s fourth-minute opener but hit back when striker Toby Holmes netted seven minutes later.

And despite chances for Clarke and Sam Davidson, a quick-fire double blast from the Greens put them in command.

Ricardo German struck on 35 minutes before Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick earned the title-chasers a two-goal cushion before the break.

Magpies came out strongly after the interval and pulled a goal back just past the hour mark.

Former Poole Town man Clarke scored his third goal in as many games for Wimborne. He converted at the second attempt after initially seeing his spot-kick saved.

But that was all Magpies could muster as the hosts held firm to remain second in the table.

Holmes added: “We started poorly but grew into he game. We got the equaliser and Toby was causing them lots of problems with his movement.

“We started to get on the ball, pass and move and took command.

“They were on the back foot and we just took our foot off the pedal. We didn’t stick to the game plan, got stretched and they hit us with two quick goals.

“It was disappointing. I think the boys just maybe felt overconfident that they were so on top and then got stretched.

“I just said to the lads at half-time ‘if you don’t stick to things, you are going to come a cropper’.

“You can’t do that against Hendon. We had watched them and we knew they had great pace in their team.

“When you stay together as a team and work the ball through you can cause them damage, which we did.”

Wimborne are 18th in the table with 10 points.

They visit Swindon Supermarine on Tuesday – the team who beat them in last season’s Southern League West play-off final (7.45pm).

Magpies: Benfield, Lee (Hester, 60), Penny, Davidson, Oldring, Clarke, Stokoe, L Holmes, T Holmes, Burbidge, Young (Owen, 73). Unused subs: Arnold, Kellaway, Walsh (g/k).