BOURNEMOUTH Poppies lost 2-1 to Blackfield & Langley as some familiar faces returned to haunt them.

Poppies had won five of their past six Wessex League Premier matches – but their good form came to an end when former players Jake Rowley and Kane Daysh helped the visitors claim victory at Victoria Park on Tuesday night.

The duo have linked up with Chris Farrell, who is now helping the Blackfield management after leaving Poppies along with Rowley and Daysh.

Poppies boss Ken Vaughan said: “I don’t think their return was a factor particularly, we just didn’t turn up in the first half.

“Jake Rowley is a big miss for us. He has gone in there and helped turn their side around and you always know that you’ll get bitten on the backside in those situations.

“But good luck to him. He is looking good again and his new club suits him.”

The visitors took the lead a minute before half-time through George Bowerman’s strike, with Beng Yella Ngwa slotting home a second on 64 minutes following Rowley’s assist.

Max Cream pounced on a poor pass to reduce the arrears with 15 minutes to play, but Poppies couldn’t find a way back.

Vaughan added: “We had three or four players out and we missed them all, without a doubt.

“We tried a couple of the lads we hadn’t seen and that is what you have got to do at this stage of the season.”

Poppies: Frampton, Crow, Jackson, Molyneaux, Crutcher, Leadbetter, Ingram, Cream, Ewen, Vinuesa (Watt, 26), Swann (Mas, 67). Unused subs: Phillipson-Masters, Vaughan (g/k).