Alresford Town 3 Fawley 2: JOHN Howard scored twice in a helter-skelter relegation battle at a sodden Arlebury Park, as Alresford eventually got the better of visitors Fawley by the odd goal in five.

Alresford boss Martin Beck gave a debut to defender Dan Molyneaux, newly signed from Brockenhurst, while Sam Carter made a welcome return from suspension.

On a slippery pitch that cut up increasingly as the game went on, there were mistakes aplenty from both defences. Alresford grabbed the lead on eight minutes when Carter pierced the heart of the Fawley defence with a superb run and squared for Rian Jima-Otero, unmarked, to stroke home.

On 35 minutes came a flare-up that reduced both sides to nine men. Jima-Otero’s attempt to block a clearance was late and clearly a foul; the Fawley player reacted angrily, and with players of both sides piling in, it was difficult to distinguish the aggressors from the peacemakers. Eventually Jima-Otero and team-mate Tom Donaldson were sent for an early bath, along with Fawley defenders Chris Lucas and Aaron Lucas.

Mike Weatherall in the home goal soon had to make a good save from Charlie Willett. But just before the half time whistle Howard doubled his side’s lead with a strike from outside the box that flew into the top right corner with Deace Kerrison in the Oilers’ goal powerless.

Fawley redoubled their efforts in the second half and pulled it back to 2-1 on 49 minutes, Nathan Gray winning his tussle for possession on the right touchline and crossing for Willett to ram home. The visitors then won a penalty for Craig Bryant’s foul on Ben Bolton, and Dan Fry stroked home the 62nd-minute penalty to make it 2-2.

Alresford almost snatched the winner on 85 minutes when Jamie Bentley rose above Kerrison to head Grant Young’s cross goalwards, but Bolton got back to hack off the line. Then Bolton almost won it for Fawley when he broke through but shot wide with only Weatherall to beat.

With 90 minutes gone, though, Howard popped up at the other end, toe-ending John Mulhern’s pass beyond the advancing Kerrison and slotting the ball home from a tight angle. The Magpies were in raptures, but if they are to escape the drop this needs to be only the first of a series of victories.