Midweek football: Christchurch grab comeback point against Hythe & Dibden as New Milton Bashley, Brockenhurst, Totton & Eling and Fawley matches all washed out

THERE was a heavily depleted Tuesday evening fixture list after the heavens opened and saturated pitches across the south.

New Milton, Bashley, Brockenhurst, Totton & Eling and Fawley all saw their matches sunk, with only Christchurch’s game against Hythe & Dibden surviving.

And it proved a cracker, with six goals and a remarkable comeback by the hosts who found themselves two goals behind twice during the match.

The two sides are locked together at 17th and 18th in the table, but Hythe & Dibden have five fixtures in hand on their Dorset counterparts thanks to a raft of postponed home fixtures.

Hythe were quickly into their stride and, after a Church free kick was well saved by keeper Luke Deacon, it was home shot-stopper Will Butler being kept honest with three fine saves, the last of which preventing what appeared a certain goal from Christos Papakonstantinou.

The visitors’ dominance finally broke Church’s resolve in the 29th minute as Ryan Batley headed past Butler.

Wasted attempts from either side preceded a one-on-one between Papakonstantinou and Butler, but the keeper again saved well.

With half-time approaching, however, Hythe found their second, with Ben Slade nodding home a corner off the bar.

The second half saw a rejuvenated Christchurch, with Deacon called into action to twice deny Christchurch efforts.

But there was little he could do to stop Priory pulling one back, as Ali Zintany found the net from a corner, in off the post in the 58th minute.

However, Church’s joy lasted mere seconds as Marcel Laptas scored straight from the kick-off.

Hythe’s advantage was halved again four minutes later thanks to Sean Eaton finding a way past Deacon.

With the game heading towards a Hythe victory, Church’s Liam Nixon had other ideas, and in the 92nd minute scored the equaliser which saw the points shared.

Christchurch are back in action at home against Petersfield Town on Saturday, while busy Hythe & Dibden are set to take on Sherborne Town today (Thursday), and face Blackfield & Langley on Saturday.

Christchurch: Deacon, Wyatt, Boon, Crookes, Slade, Batley, Laptas, Papakonstantinou, Prentice, Dennett, Harfield, Landa. Subs: Golding, Parker-Trott, Thompson, Scorey.

Hythe & Dibden: Butler, Roushbalant, Dove, Miller, Eaton, Khider, Ohameje, Sexton-Chadwick, Simpson, Zintany, Ewang, Nixon. Subs: Taylor, Hockton, Santos, Hamm