‘We deserved a point’ – Baffins Milton boss Wilkinson reflects on dramatic Wessex League loss at Horndean

Brandon Miller, left, keeps a close eye on Horndean's Harry Jackson. Miller was later taken to hospital with a head injury but was released at 5am this morning following a CT scan. Picture: Martyn White

A last-gasp penalty from Connor Duffin - after Sam Emeney had been penalised for a foul on the striker - gave the Deans a dramatic 2-1 Wessex League Premier Division victory at Five Heads Park.

The success took Horndean back into joint top spot, but behind Fareham on goal difference.

‘A fair result in my opinion would have been a draw,’ said Wilkinson.

‘I was happy with how we played - it was two good teams going at it, it was a good advert for the league.’

Wilkinson had a feeling referee Martin Bloor would make a key decision - and so it proved.

‘I said to Michael Birmingham in the second half that the referee is going to cost one of us, and we feel he did cost us with the penalty,’ he remarked.

‘The ref was always going to give something, and Sam made it easy for the ref by going to ground.’

Wilkinson was also surprised Bloor failed to issue a card when left-back Brandon Miller took a nasty boot in the face on the touchline near the dug-outs towards the end of the first half.

‘It was accidental, but it was a dangerous foot,’ he said. ‘If that had happened anywhere else on the pitch it’s a card.

‘I don’t want to see anyone getting sent off or booked, but I don’t think the ref even spoke to their player.’

There were a handful of bookings, though – with Rovers trio Josh Warren, Emeney and James Cowan all ending up in the book.

Miller, having been stretchered off and taken to QA, left hospital at 5am this morning following a CT scan nursing a sore neck and a black eye.

‘He’s battered and bruised, but he’s a tough lad,’ said the manager.

Due to FA rules regarding head injuries, Miller will now be unavailable for a few weeks.

After falling behind to a fine Liam Kimber strike in the first half, Baffins had levelled 10 minutes into the second period through an equally fine Tommy Scutt volley.

‘We’re a work in progress and we’re not going to win anything this season,’ said Wilkinson.

‘But if we carry on playing like we did we’ll be fine.

‘I asked for a reaction (to a 4-0 home loss to Hamworthy) and I got one.

‘Not many teams will go to Horndean and dominate the ball like we did in the second half going down the hill

‘We were only beaten by a worldie and a penalty.

‘We need to tighten up at the back, stop giving away penalties - that’s four we’ve given away now - and show a bit more quality in the final third.’