Former HPL champions Locks Heath now bottom after Hayling United romp to eighth successive league win

The former Hampshire Premier League champions slipped to the bottom of the Senior Division after almost everything went against them.

They extended their winless streak to 10 league games by suffering a 5-0 home loss to in-form Hayling United. At the same time, Chamberlayne grabbed only their second league win since September 7 - and their first by actually playing, as against being awarded the points by an opposing team failing to raise a side.

A real downer for Locks, therefore, at a time when some parts of the world are in lockdown.

The day began badly for Locks boss Shane Lovell when a squad already missing several first-team regulars lost two more less than an hour before kick off. In addition, one sub didn’t turn up and another turned up but was injured.

When the game started, Locks striker Ryan Lock - playing only his second game for the club - went off injured after seven minutes.

The home side proceeded to give away two penalties and had one player sent off and another sin-binned in the second period.

Hayling, meanwhile, could have been reduced to 10 men themselves in the first half when skipper Elliott Spencer brought down Lee Carvell just outside the penalty box.

Referee Adam Kennard - whose decisions angered Locks all afternoon - only booked Spencer when some officials might have shown a red.

In amongst Locks’ misery, Hayling stormed to their eighth successive HPL victory and are now level on points with fourth-placed Fleetlands.

During those eight games, Dan Bishop’s side have belted 38 goals and with home games against Infinity and Bush Hill still to play could have a say in the destination of this season’s title - if coronavirus doesn’t have the final word, obviously.

It took the Humbugs only 11 minutes to open the scoring at Locks, who were unable to raise a side for last August’s Bank Holiday Monday trip to Hayling.

A short corner routine left Locks napping and left-back Josh Elmes was allowed to get to the byline and fire in a cross which Spencer diverted in at the near post.

It was still only 1-0 when Spencer received his yellow card, but shortly after the lead was doubled when Harry Frost tapped in from close range after keeper Ben Schneider couldn’t hold a Sam Neal shot.

Kennard awarded Hayling their first penalty on 38 minutes for a lunge on Neal. Elmes was given the responsibility, as he was the only Humbugs player yet to score this season, but Schneider saved the penalty.

Jack Bishop, though, reacted quickest to fire in the rebound.

The half-time score was slightly unfair on the hosts. Midfielder Sam Winterburn and top scorer Jake Alford had produced some nice touches and Locks’ work in the middle third belied their league position. Sadly for them, they lacked a cutting edge in the final third and were punished for their sloppiness in and around their own penalty area.

Locks’ luck was to get progressively worse as the game wore on.

First, Jon Stevens was sent off just before the hour mark for his part in a melee which erupted after Kennard penalised Locks’ Ryan Nowacki for a foul.

Then the official awarded Hayling their second penalty for a foul on Kieron Munday, Adam Clark confidently converting from 12 yards on 70 minutes.

Locks’ increasing frustrations continued with defender Oli Adams being sent to the sin bin for sarcastic comments to Kennard.

Asked what had been said, Lovell remarked: ‘He basically told the referee he should pay his match fee as he (Kennard) had ruined the game.’

Locks’ agonies weren’t yet over - Humbugs sub Matt Topple rounding off the scoring 10 minutes from time after a nice passing move.

Locks - the HPL champions in 2012/13, when they lost only one game - now have six games left in a bid to avoid finishing in the bottom two.

Last season, a bottom two finish meant relegation. At present, though, no-one knows how many clubs - if any - will go down this term.

Hope, though, has to spring eternal and Locks are only three points behind third-bottom Sway - and they still have to visit the New Forest club.

They are over reliant on 14-goal captain Alford, though. Only two other Locks players have scored more than twice this term - Ryan Bath and Max Hoile - and neither of them were available against Hayling.