ALRESFORD Town boss Richard Luffman finally broke his Baffins Milton Rovers hoodoo with a nerve-jangling 4-3 win at Alrebury Park.

Having watched his side lead 2-0 and 3-1 through Dave Ompreon, Craig Harding and Adam Cripps, Luffman thought the curse had struck again when the Magpies were pegged back to 3-3 by an own goal from dual-signed Sutton United youngster Crossley Lema at the end of normal time.

But Alresford kept going and won it at the death with an own goal at the other end. It was the first victory of a tough January for the injury-hit hosts.

“I’m not sure where to start,” said Luffman.

“I’ve an horrendous record against Baffins as a player and manager. I’d lost nine from nine, so when the outstanding Lema scored a 20-yard own goal in the 90th minute for 3-3, I wasn’t surprised.

“That’s been our luck at the moment, but we dug in.

“I’m hoping that this win and Tuesday’s performance (at Winchester City in the Hampshire Senior Cup) is a catalyst for us to go on a run and see how high we can finish.

“We’ve some tough games coming up, but if we continue to apply ourselves like Saturday, we will be fine.

“Credit to Baffins, they played some good stuff and, in Blu Boam and young (Tommy) Leigh at full-back, they have some top players. It’s nice to see them doing well, but it was nice to finally beat them."

Boam and Callum Dart netted the other goals for the Portsmouth visitors.

Alresford – fifth in the Sydenhams Premier - are back in league action tomorrow (Tuesday, 7.30pm) at home to Newport IW.