Havant & Waterlooville manager Dave Leworthy blamed a moment of madness by defender Alec Masson for Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Chippenham.

The new Westleigh Park boss felt his side were comfortably in control of the game until Masson got his marching orders after 37 minutes for petulantly hurling the ball at James Constable when the Chippenham striker tried to prevent him gaining yardage from a throw-in.

It's been a bad week for Leworthy, who had two players - James Taylor and Neil Champion - sent-off in Tuesday's shock Hampshire Senior Cup exit at Fareham Town.

Arguably those dismissals were rather harsh, but Leworthy made no excuses for Masson.

He said: "What he did was ridiculous. As soon as I saw it, I knew he'd walk. He's let himself and the side down. Alec's got a ban coming up already for an incident after the FA Trophy game at Folkestone, so this could put him out for six games."

From being title challengers three months ago, the Hawks have nosedived to 16th place.

Leworthy confessed: "It's been a nightmare start for me. I've got enough of a job on my hands as it is without all these suspensions."

Hawks thought they had gone ahead when Chippenham's Tom Gould put past his own keeper. It was disallowed for a push, but Leworthy argued: "One of our lads was pushed into their player so, if anything, it should have been a penalty to us."

Goals by Simon Charity and Constable put Chippenham in the clear before Havant new boy Jim Rodwell - a centre-half signed from Conference outfit Tamworth - conceded an 81st-minute penalty that Martin Paul converted.

Basingstoke Town kept third-placed Thurrock in check with a solid 0-0 away draw in the Ryman Premier Division.

The two goalkeepers, both captains of their sides, were very much on top with Thurrock's Paul Gothard twice denying Southampton-based marksman Craig McAllister and Stoke's Scott Tarr saving superbly from substitute Craig Davidson.