WAYNE Lockey is refusing to rule out a late promotion push after watching his Ringwood side humble high-flying AFC Portchester 1-0.

A first-half penalty from Nick Howes was enough to earn the Brewers a 1-0 win over their second-placed opponents at the Canotec Stadium on Saturday.

The result left Ringwood in ninth spot but with games in hand on a number of their Wessex One rivals.

And Lockey is hoping his men can get back on track in the latter part of the campaign and propel themselves into the honours mix.

“Our goal was to go up but we’ve dropped behind,” he said.

“We’ve got to start again and see how we get on. If we win our games in hand, we’re only one point behind Portchester.

“We’re not going to rule out anything but we just have to take one game at a time.”

Lockey was pleased with his side’s latest display as they ended a four-match losing streak.

He added: “We played very well – it’s been a long time coming.”

Brewers: Page, Marks, Morrell, Hetherington, Yeats, Russon, Midson (Payne, 70), Clark, Howes, Fleet (Chattey, 65), Leadbetter. Unused subs: Kay, Pierson, Old.