CHRISTCHURCH director of football Mick Ryan believes his side were "stitched up" by the officials as Poole Town triumphed 4-0 at Hurn Bridge on Saturday.

Priory went into the clash on the back of a turbulent week, following Gary Parrett's departure as manager the previous Saturday.

But having already gone 1-0 down before half time through Aaron Skelton's free-kick, their fortunes took another turn for the worse.

Referee Chris Miles gave a Christchurch throw the wrong way on 54 minutes.

Their players were incensed but while they were busy protesting, Dolphins' Dan Cann quickly launched high for substitute Karim Benssaouda to head over keeper Tommy Taylor.

Strikes from Cann and Sturgess on 66 and 80 respectively completed Christchurch's misery.

And even though Miles later apologised to Priory for his blunder, this cut little ice with raging caretaker boss Ryan.

He said: "I don't think the scoreline was fair on our guys, although there is no doubt Poole deserved to win.

"We were stitched up by some awful decisions from the match officials.

"The throw-in was clearly given the wrong way; they took it quickly, and it ended up in the back of our net.

"I suppose you have to give him credit for coming to me, apologising and admitting he had got it wrong.

"But it was too little, too late because we went 2-0 down and it killed the game off.

"We don't pay a bean at this club and I'm really distraught that the players were let down by paid officials, who simply didn't do their jobs."

Despite enjoying much of the possession, Priory went behind two minutes before the break.

Lee Hodder handed Dolphins a free-kick when he scythed down Trefor Smith on the left hand corner of the area.

And Skelton finished it with finesse - thumping it high over the wall and beyond Taylor's outstretched arm.

Benssaouda's hotly-disputed effort on 54 doubled the advantage and took the sting out of the home resistance.

Hodder was then given his marching orders on 57 minutes after an alleged stamp on Smith before Richard Glenister won a free kick on the right edge of the box after 66 minutes.

This allowed birthday boy Cann to curl in a wicked strike, which clipped a few shins on its way home.

Town completed their rout 10 minutes from time, when Benssaouda's cross from the right found substitute Carl Chivers.

His strike was blocked but fellow replacement Dave Sturgess was on hand to finish from six yards.

Christchurch: Taylor, Stone, Hughes, Costello, Hodder, Jenvey, Price (Truan, 83), Lawrence, Roberts, Sotoudeh (Whitehouse, 64), Atkins. Unused sub: Crutchley.

Poole: Frampton, Neville, T Richardson (Sturgess 78), Whitley, I Richardson, Skelton, Funnell (Benssaouda, h-t), C Smith, T Smith, Glenister (Chivers, 74), Cann. Unused sub: Reeves.

Former Priory star Luke Herridge arrived back from the US in time to join Ryan on the Christchurch bench.

Ryan held talks with him after the match, over the prospect of becoming caretaker manager.

Ex-Priory boss Pete Moore was also at the game and is rumoured to be interested in the full-time job.