Phil Hodgson and Adam Boyd-Brown lost the top two matches 3&2 and when Jamie Girdlen lost 4&3 to Corhampton's Barry Williams, last year's winners needed a miracle to claim all four matches left out on the course.

Teenager Mark Sawford, who sank the winning putt for his club 12 months ago, picked up a point with a 3&2 win over Terry Nicholas, and Dave Bell went five up with four to play to make it 3-2 to Corhampton.

But Glynn Caterall, a veteran of three winning finals teams, lost 3&2 to the Meon Valley club's John Peterkin to give Corhampton the crucial point.

To complete a miserable morning, Jamie Turnbull, who has been on the winning side in two finals this century lost 4&3 in the anchor match.

They at least had the satisfaction of winning the third and fourth place play-off against Test Valley 6-1.

Rowlands Castle have dominated the inter-club knockout open to all 88 clubs affiliated to the Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Channel Islands County Golf Union over the past seven years.

Having won the trophy in 1971 and 1979, Rowlands Castle picked up the trophy in 2001 before completing a successful defence when they hosted the finals in their centenary year 12 months later.

But after their victory over Royal Jersey at South Winchester in 2007, a second back-to-back win eluded them, and it was hosts Hockley's turn to capture the silverware for a fourth time.

The Twyford Down club beat Corhampton 6-1 in the afternoon final, having knocked out Test Valley in the other semi, winning 5-2, although two matches had to go down the 19th.

Hampshire Sevens Third/Fourth place play-off: Rowlands Castle 6 Test Valley 1.

P Hodgson bt G Frost 2&1; A Boyd-Brown bt N Dyer 2&1; J Girdlen bt N Hitchcock-Spenser 4&3; M Sawford bt K Urry 4&2; G Caterall bt C Goddard 3&2; D Bell lost to M Runcie 2&1; J Turnbull bt J McCabe 3&2;