BRICKIES EDGED OUT BY MORE SCALP-HUNTING NEIGHBOURS!

THE Brickies are certainly learning the hard way that when you sit proudly and dominantly at the top of the league table you are the scalp that every team wants - and if those teams happen to be neighbours, they have an even bigger incentive to get one over on you. So… last Wednesday Lymington came from just down the road and sneaked a 2-2 draw to end New Milton's 100pc record. This Wednesday Ringwood came from just a few miles further - and sneaked a 2-1 win to end the unbeaten record. To say they “sneaked it” is maybe a little unfair, because they put in a mighty effort - but over the 90 minutes a draw would probably have been a fairer result. The Brickies dominated the first 15 minutes and the last 30. In between they were wasteful in front of goal, and fragile at the back at certain times, particularly in the first half. They went to the break 1-0 down to Ollie Brown's opportunist goal on 41 minutes, and that was a fair reflection of how the play to that stage had unfolded. The second half - and ultimately the match result - swung on the controversial goal which gave Ringwood a 2-0 lead soon after the interval. Brickies’ keeper Lloyd Thomas left his line to contest a high ball into the box. If you are from Ringwood you would say he simply dropped the ball, allowing Ollie Brown to smack it into the empty net at a crucial stage of the game. If you are from New Milton you would say - as every player in yellow and blue did heatedly in the ear of referee Alfie Farrar - that Lloydie was clattered unfairly as he jumped for the ball, and so couldn’t hold it. Whatever, the ref would have none of it, ditto the nearby lino, and that gave Ringwood the option to sit back and see it out, which is what they tried to do. They had to stretch things a bit at times as wave after wave of attacks came at them, collecting four bookings for “tactical” fouls to break up play. Partly through New Milton’s wasteful finishing, partly through helpful woodwork and partly through the competence of keeper Felix Bruce, it looked for a long while that their two-goal advantage would stay intact. The dent in their lead came on 77 minutes from Brickies’ new signing Louis Whetton. He came off the bench to finish off a hectic goalmouth scramble with a shot from the edge of the box. Not the prettiest goal the former Hamworthy United, Christchurch and Blandford striker will score, because Bruce’s desperate dive to claw it back meant it only crossed the line by a few inches - but hopefully it’s the first of many! The Brickies had gone into the game minus two of their frequent goalscorers, Niall Dixon and Joe Roberts, and their presence might have made a difference as Ringwood successfully ran down the clock. As well as Whetton’s debut goal, another plus was the return to top form of Callum McHale, underlining that he is now fully recovered after a frustrating year out with injury. He deservedly took the Man of the Match accolade. Attendance was 214. If you are on Facebook you can catch manager Jamie Kay's verdict here... https://www.facebook.com/reel/1916593082635736 Next up for New Milton it’s a visit this Saturday from Sandhurst, who faded a little after a barnstorming start to the season. An early warning, however - they have made three signings this week to strengthen their squad. Finally, if there was ever an indication of how much extra effort Lymo put into that 2-2 draw at the GD Print Stadium, their midweek result this week was … a 7-1 loss at home to Blandford!