MANAGER Glenn Burnett was keen to highlight the positives about New Milton’s destiny resting on a final-day trip to fellow strugglers Hayling.

Linnets’ Wessex Premier fate will be decided at Hayling College in five days after Burnett’s men were condemned to a 4-1 defeat at Fareham on Saturday.

Victory would guarantee New Milton’s safety, while a point would also be enough if Hamworthy United were to topple Brading on the Isle of Wight.

Linnets, who pulled off a great escape last season, were pointless and staring relegation in the face when Burnett arrived at Fawcett’s Field in September.

He told the Daily Echo: “It is still in our hands and, if we can beat Hayling, we will stay up. It could be a lot worse and we could be going to somewhere like Winchester City or Bemerton.

“If you had to choose who you would want to play in such an important game, it would always be one of the teams around you.

“We can’t rely on other results and have got to go for the win. If we perform for the full 90 minutes like we did in the first half at Fareham then we should be fine.”

Linnets were handed an ideal start at Cams Alder when Alex Moth gave them a seventh-minute lead following good work by Rob DeSport.

However, although Burnett claimed the visitors were the victims of some questionable refereeing decisions, he also conceded Fareham had deserved to win.

Graham Lindsey cancelled out Moth’s strike just before the break and then made it 3-1 after Danny Thompson had fired Fareham in front at the start of the second half.

Linnets goalkeeper Dave Rowe, who had earlier saved Wayne Boud’s penalty with the score at 2-1, was beaten for a fourth time by Matt Burt.

Burnett added: “We dominated the first half although the circumstances surrounding their equaliser left us deflated and we didn’t start well after the break.

“Fareham scored from another mystifying free kick and that killed us. From then on, they took over and went on to win comfortably.”

Linnets: Rowe, Davies, Donaldson, Holland, DeSport, Curtis, Case, Moth, Barge, Proctor (Graham, 70), Preston (Morris, 70). Unused sub: Amey (g/k).

• Simba Mlambo’s second-half double settled in favour of Alton Town a scrappy encounter against Poppies at Victoria Park.

Poppies: Frampton, Crow, Molyneaux, Byrne, Crutcher, Leadbetter (Vaughan, 29), Ingram, Mas, Swann, Saadi, Watt. Unused subs: Phillipson-Masters, Moreau, Vinuesa.

• Charlie Pierson’s unfortunate own goal sentenced Ringwood to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Wessex One rivals Fleet Spurs at the Canotec.

Ringwood: Daly, S Hole, W Hole, Roberts, Pierson, Manning, Ridout, Morrell (Terry, 62), Edwards, Heggan, Yeats. Unused subs: Brown, Tyler, Steele.