LOCAL hero Mark Osman made a welcome return to Wessex football for Totton & Eling at Bemerton Heath Harlequins on Saturday.

But the Millers threw away their chance to become party poopers as Ian Chalk ended his eight-year reign as Bemerton boss with a last-gasp 2-1 Sydenhams Premier victory.

“It’s very disappointing – and it was all our own doing,” rued Andy Tipp, co-manager/chairman of the bottom-of-the-table Millers.

“We dominated the first half and should have been three or four up.

“Bemerton didn’t have a lot to play for, apart from it being Chalky’s last game, but we let them off the hook first half and then ran out of steam. We seemed to take our foot off the gas and let them back into it and they’ve won it at the death.”

Both T&E’s first-half opener and Bemerton’s late winner were scrambled goals.

“We weren’t too sure who’d scored ours. It bounced off a few people from a corner and there were a few of them arguing about who’d got the last touch. But we think it was Sergio Caballero who put over the line,” said Tipp.

Osman – one of the shining lights of AFC Totton’s 2007 FA Vase final side – was among those who might have scored, but Tipp was delighted with his overall contribution.

“We thought he’d probably only last a half, but he did a good 60-65 minutes,” he said. “He’s not played for a while, but he doesn’t carry any weight and looked as fit as a butcher’s dog.

“We played him on the right of a front three with Sergio on the left and Chris Marwood through the middle and he looked very lively. I’m sure it won’t take him long to get back into it.”

With both Fareham and Christchurch picking up a point apiece, Tipp reckons T&E need to win “at least four of our last eight games” to stay up.

The first of those is against mid-table Horndean at Millers Park tonight (Tuesday).

Whether the Deans – held 0-0 at home by Fawley AFC on Saturday – will have Osman to contend with remains to be seen.

“I’d imagine Osey’s feeling it after Saturday, but he does a lot of running anyway and, as long as he’s fit, I’m sure he’ll be OK,” said Tipp.