LYMINGTON and New Milton's centre-back jinx reared its head once again as they crashed out of the Westview Cup at the second round stage.

Having already lost skipper Paul Towler to an ankle ligament problem and been turned down by Hamworthy United's Steve Gilbert after a dramatic U-turn on his proposed move, Linnets suffered further at Fawcett's Field.

The experienced Darren Powell was taken off at half-time with a calf problem while James Wilson, only drafted in on loan from Eastleigh to help ease the defensive crisis, was forced out of the second half after a blow to the ribs.

Linnets will now be sweating on the fitness of both ahead of their league game with Walton Casuals on Saturday, with little left in the cupboard as far as cover goes.

Assistant manger Richie Phippard, meanwhile, maintained their cup exit was down to sloppy mistakes. He said: "It was just individual errors that cost us goals. We keep making these mistakes in the final third and they always seem to cost us."

The visitors raced into a two-goal lead before Pete Smith threw the hosts a lifeline with a powerful drive just before the break. But a goal conceded from a corner, which was needlessly given away, and another from a Mark Watson error condemned Linnets to their fate.

Lymington & New Milton: Watson, Carter, Lang, Wilson (C Smith, 75), Powell (Clothier, h-t), Mulhern, Hogan, Woods, Gregory (Hussey, 65), James, P Smith. Unused subs: Stokoe, Hookway.