Late injury and red card take some of the sparkle off Fleetlands’ Hampshire Premier League victory at fellow high-fliers Locks Heath

Second half goals from sub Mark Smith and Luke Heard gave the Coptermen a 2-0 success - their eighth Senior Division victory in 10 games.

They are now just four points behind third-placed Locks, with two games in hand.

But Fleetlands will have to do without George Caister for their remaining five games after the full-back suffered ankle ligament damage in a tackle.

They are also likely to be without midfielder Callum Theobald for some of those matches after he picked up a red card for violent conduct. ‘That kind of tarnished the win,’ said co-boss Chris Blakeman. ‘Callum had had an excellent game, probably his best game since he came to us.’

On a hard pitch in windy conditions, ‘both sides cancelled each other out in the first half.’

After the break, Smith - who had not long been on the pitch - opened the scoring from close range after keeper Joe Hunt had parried a Theobald shot onto the crossbar.

Heard sealed the victory when he headed home from a Brandon Rogers corner.

There was no way through for Locks, who were without the league’s top scorer, Ryan Bath, plus strikers Adam Clark and Jordan Whiteley and attacking midfielder Connor Johnson.

‘It was thoroughly deserved,’ Blakeman continued. ‘We dominated the majority of the second half.’

Caister, who has played in both full-back positions since he arrived as part of a pre-Christmas exodus from Hayling United, will be a big miss. ‘I’ve been really impressed with him,’ said Blakeman.

Fleetlands have applied for promotion to the Wessex League, alongside Denmead and Stockbridge.

To be considered, clubs have to finish in the top five. And if Stockbridge and Colden Common won their games in hand, the Coptermen would be sixth.

Fleetlands’ next two matches are, on paper, the toughest they have left - home to title-chasing Moneyfields and away to a Colden Common outfit who have won 14 of their last 17 league games.