WINCHESTER City defender Ross Bottomley has resurfaced at Sydenhams Premier outfit Lymington Town.

The strapping centre-back was one of two new signings to make his Lymo debut in Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat by rapidly-rising Team Solent.

The other, former Winchester and AFC Totton goalkeeper Ross Casey, recently returned to the country following a stint away coaching in Spain.

Lymington chief John Pyatt said: “We were alerted to Ross’s situation at Winchester and we spoke to Dave Malone (City’s director of football) to okay it.

“Ross is a natural leader with bundles of experience and will be a big help to us with Tim Stephenson out injured.

“Ross Casey's still only a young lad of 23, but he’s a great goalkeeper and a big character with loads of enthusiasm.

“We’ve been struggling like mad for a goalkeeper. Stuart Williamson is busy doing his house up on top of his full-time job and Nic Jones has his daughter at weekends.

“Stu Kenna (coach) has gone in goal and we’ve also had a young lad Connor Lopez in there who’s not even a ’keeper.”

Despite their new arrivals, Lymington were still below strength to face a Solent side who clocked up their sixth straight league and cup victory courtesy of Silvano Obeng (2) and a Jesse Waller-Lassen penalty. Ryan Fuller scored for Town.

“We huffed and puffed a bit,” admitted Pyatt.

“We’re a bit disjointed at the moment. We had no Nathan Hurst and we’re crying out for a left-back with Ben Sullivan waiting for a date to have his knee reconstructed.

“Warren Kenna just turned up to watch and ended up playing!

“Commitment levels haven’t been what they should be, but Dave (Lewis, manager) and Dave (Herbert, assistant) have had words with the players and hopefully they’ve got the message.

“If commitment's not what it should be, it will be a case of ‘Cheerio Joe’,” he warned.

Saturday's big plus for Lymington was seeing striker Jack Odam play his first 20 minutes after knee reconstruction surgery.

“He’s not sharp enough yet, but it’s a big positive to have Jack back,” said Pyatt. “He gives us a different type of movement to what we’ve normally got up top.”

With work starting on their new clubhouse, Lymington are busy getting temporary facilities sorted for Saturday’s league visit of Cowes Sports.

Cowes were beaten 2-0 on the Island on Saturday as Alresford Town climbed to 16th courtesy of John Cole and a second-half Tom Sands penalty.

Alresford face more Isle of Wight opposition on Wednesday when Newport visit Arlebury Park.