BEMERTON Heath Harlequins boss Graham Kemp felt his side were “desperately unlucky” not to hold on for victory over third-placed AFC Portchester with ten men.

The Wiltshire outfit had James Burden sent off after 25 minutes at a windy Wicor Rec, but still managed to lead twice in the second half through Sam Griffin and Jack Lovell.

Jason Parish pulled one back for Porch, but it looked as if Heath would hold on until deep into stoppage time when Joe Bye made it 2-2 from the penalty spot after keeper Max Frampton had taken out Rob Evans.

“Max thought the ball was coming through to him, but it's held up in the wind and he’s come out and more or less sat on their centre-forward, which was not a pretty sight!" said Kemp.

“It felt like a defeat because we’d done so well to hold a side like Portchester in those conditions with ten men.”

Bemerton, 11th, are due back in Sydenhams Premier action tomorrow (Tuesday) at home to 14th-placed Brockenhurst.

With Jack Slade carrying a knock, Seb Dawes becoming a dad and Graham Mankin feared out for the rest of the season with a hernia, the Harlequins began Saturday’s game without a single player from last season.

“It’s been hard work rebuilding, but we’re getting there slowly,” said Kemp who, with the recent arrival of Adam Costello from Wimborne, has now signed eight of his old Christchurch charges.

“We had five or six of last year’s side originally, but I was disappointed with the way the first half of the season went," he explained.

“I don’t drive from Bournemouth to Salisbury three times a week to finish 13th.”

*ANDOVER Town’s winless Sydenhams Premier streak stretched to five matches as Neil Benson’s men succumbed 2-1 at home to Moneyfields.

The sixth-placed north Hampshire club fell behind to an eighth-minute Conor Bailey penalty awarded for a foul on Nathan Paxton and fell further into arrears when Dan Woodward struck midway through the half.

Michael Dixon pounced on a defensive error to halve the deficit just before the break and both teams ended the afternoon with ten men – Bobby Swayne getting a straight red for Andover ten minutes from time.

*TEAM Solent inflicted late agony on Newport IoW by bagging an 88th-minute winner at St George’s Park.

With a windswept encounter seemingly heading for a goalless stalemate, the Islanders left Sam Byles unmarked inside the area and the ex-Arsenal youngster punished them with a firm strike that gave ’keeper Gary Streeter no chance.

Despite having the wind in their favour, Port – staging their first home league game since October 17 - failed to register a shot on target in the second half as they succumbed 1-0.

Weather permitting, Team Solent host Cowes Sports at Test Park tonight (Monday).