FAWLEY AFC’s management team and chairman were living it up in Las Vegas over the weekend.

In their absence, the Oilers gave as good as they got in the Sydenhams Premier Division at Lymington Town - and even home boss John Pyatt admitted they were unlucky to lose 2-1.

“We didn’t play that well and Fawley deserved a draw,” was Pyatt’s honest assessment. “Our first goal was a penalty and what on earth it was given for I don’t know, but Warren Kenna stuck it away.

“We had words at half-time, upped the tempo and went 2-0 up with a brilliant free-kick from Manny Soetan.”

Fawley replied through Charlie Willett, but their cause had not been helped by losing main striker Dylan Knight to a knee injury early in the game. Co-boss Richie Coxall said: “I wasn’t at the game. A group of us went to Las Vegas in recognition of chairman Kevin Mitchell’s 60th year, (co-boss) Callum Earl’s 30th year and also the 30th of Rob Leach, who plays cricket for Fawley. It had been arranged for a while.

“Paul Carr, my assistant the year we got promoted from Sydenhams One, ran the side and I’m told we fell behind to a disputed penalty when the ball deflected off one of our centre-halves and hit Kieran Earl on the arm.”

The result leaves Fawley a competitive 15th heading into tonight’s trip to 16th-placed Bournemouth.

“We’d gone three unbeaten in the league prior to Saturday and the good thing for me is that we’re competing and giving ourselves the chance of at least a point,” said Coxall. “If it hadn’t been for one or two games, like Saturday’s, where we’ve been unfortunate to lose by the odd goal, we’d be higher.”

Fawley’s Waterside neighbours Blackfield & Langley had to settle for a 0-0 home draw with bottom club Totton & Eling.

Blackfield, home to Christchurch in the league tonight, have drawn an all-Sydenhams Premier home tie in the second round of the FA Vase against Bemerton on November 22.