LYMINGTON Town’s 2-1 Sydenhams Premier win at Amesbury on Saturday helped lift the mood after the New Forest club had been deducted three points.

Goals by Sam House and Jack Odam proved a timely tonic for Town who felt hard done by to be punished for fielding Zak Pickett in their 2-1 win over Blackfield & Langley on October 7.

Pickett had been sent off the previous Saturday in a 3-2 defeat at Sholing but, due to a wrong date in the referee’s paperwork, the Hampshire FA website initially indicated that the player’s suspension was not due to kick in until October 8.

Lymington took a screenshot of the website on the day of the Blackfield match and went ahead and played Pickett, who scored the winning goal, only to be told it was they who were in the wrong.

“We were asked to provide evidence at an FA hearing and they said it was our secretary’s fault and that he should have pre-empted the mistake,” said a club spokesman.

“So you’ve got paid employees at the HFA and it’s now the fault of a volunteer (Barry Torah, secretary) who gives up his time for nothing for the love of the football club.

“THE HFA didn’t fine us, but the Wessex League also said Barry should have spotted it, fined us £50 and deducted three points, pending an appeal, with no option of a replay.”

The HFA did not respond when contacted by the Daily Echo, but Sydenhams League chairman Ian Hoare said: “The responsibility for suspensions is that of the club and the player.

“If a player is sent off one Saturday he can’t play the following Saturday, there’s no argument with it.

“We’ve dealt with this the way we deal with all cases of ineligible players. It’s unfortunate, but errors are made.”

*Sholing’s 12-match unbeaten league run drew to a close with a flat performance at Hamworthy United.

After a largely dull first half, lit up only by a brilliant double save from Boatmen’s ’keeper Ryan Gosney, Dan Mason mustered Sholing’s one meaningful effort on target.

Dan Cann punished the visitors on 74 minutes, smashing the ball past Gosney for a 1-0 Hammers win.

Sholing, pushed down to fourth by Hamworthy, tomorrow (Tuesday, 7.45pm) travel to Fareham Town in the Russell Cotes Cup quarter-finals.