BOSS Graham Kemp is hoping his Priory players will ignore the chance to cash in on their form by staying loyal to Christchurch.

Kemp admits he could face a difficult close season as he tries to fend off potential swoops for members of his Hurn Bridge squad.

Priory have already lost key men Stewart Kearn and Shaun Brian this term after the duo’s fine performances earned moves to the Southern League.

Christchurch’s remaining players could attract interest during the summer after firing the club into two cup finals and to within sight of a possible top-two finish in the Wessex Premier.

But Kemp, who insists Priory are a non-paying club, is determined to keep his players and build on this season’s success.

He told the Daily Echo: “I know how good we are and how good we can be.

“We have beaten Bemerton and Hamble and drawn with Winchester this season.

“I would love to keep all the lads together but, gradually, the Christchurch secret is sneaking out and we are having one or two players poached.

“It is difficult to keep the players when we are doing so well.

“I know they could all earn money next season but I would like them all to stay and be competitive in the Wessex League with us.

“The general consensus among the players is that they want to stick together. We have got a great team spirit and if the players all talk together and stick together, we will have another good season in prospect.”

Kemp was speaking after Priory displayed their credentials by claiming an impressive 1-1 draw against champions-in-waiting Winchester City at Hurn Bridge on Tuesday night.

On the back of six consecutive league wins, Christchurch earned a point after Dan Thompson’s second-half equaliser had cancelled out Dominic Allen’s 37th-minute opener for the visitors.

Kemp added: “It wasn’t a case of hanging on, it was proper end-to-end stuff.

“In the second half, once we had got the equaliser, one of the benefits of having a young team was that there wasn’t one minute where they thought a point against Winchester would be a good result.

“It was a great advert for Wessex League football. A draw was a fair result. It was a cracking game, played in the right spirit.”

Priory: Collins, Thompson, Taylor, Legg, Costello, Burt, Smith, Fairbrother, Osborne, Cook (Burden, 30), Griffin. Unused subs: Harris, Crutchley, Dand, Cornick.