TOTTON & Eling collected their fourth point of a tough Sydenhams Premier campaign at fellow strugglers Christchurch on Saturday – but were left to dwell on what might have been after being pegged back for a 2-2 draw.

Having fallen behind to a Dan Haysom header from a free-kick, the Millers set themselves up for an elusive first league win of the season with cracking strikes from Brazilian Carlos Geteski and dual-signed AFC Totton youngster Sam House.

But although the visitors dominated play, their failure to defend set-pieces again cost them dear as Christchurch blasted another free-kick goalwards and it deflected in for an equaliser off T&E defender Danny Steer who, ironically, is a former Priory player.

Christchurch had ex-Fawley man Matt Vining dismissed for kicking Adam Lowther with 30 minutes remaining, but Totton’s threat faded in the closing stages and they had to content themselves with a draw.

“I think Christchurch were the happier of the two to get a point,” said T&E co-boss/chairman Andy Tipp.

“In open play we destroyed them, we were much the better side. But we gave away far too many free kicks and we struggled with set-pieces all day and couldn’t cope with their aerial prowess.”

Tipp, though, felt Totton were unlucky with the award of the free-kick that led to Priory’s opener.

“The ground was really slippery down there, like an ice-rink in some areas, and Adam Lowther has come in from behind to make a tackle on Mark Smith,” he said. “But Smith slipped over on the wet ground and Adam made no contact at all, but the ref didn’t see that and thought he’d gone through the back of him.

“Our two goals were crackers. Carlos, who’s rolling back the years for us, has hit one from 18 or 19 yards and young Sam House’s was a tremendous strike from even further out.

“When the second one went in I thought that was our chance, but unfortunately Christchurch went straight up the other end and their free-kick’s gone in off Danny Steer. I asked him afterwards if he realised he was playing for us!”

T&E will need to do a head count for tonight’s home game against Blackfield & Langley. “We’ve got an older side with a few niggles and the problem is they can’t all play four games in two weeks,” said Tipp. The Millers are six points behind second-to-bottom Fareham Town, who were caned 7-0 at home by second-placed Petersfield (Andy Todd 3, Ed Dryden, Alex Ward, Warren Hunt, Rob Tambling).

Christchurch and Verwood are locked on 13 points – the latter having lost 2-0 at home to Bemerton (Graham Mankin, Jack Slade).