SKIPPER Jimmy Sheppard admitted Lymington & New Milton's players had let manager Ian Robinson down badly by blowing the chance to join Wessex rivals Winchester City, Gosport Borough and Andover in the last 16 of the FA Vase.

Linnets twice surrendered the lead in a disappointing 3-2 home reverse by 50-1 Western League Division 1 outsiders Bitton, making it four defeats on the bounce for the slip-sliding New Forest club, who are now well out of the Wessex title frame.

Two weeks ago Robinson came under fire from one of his Fawcett's Field predecessors, Graham Kemp, now manager of Brockenhurst, who accused him of "sour grapes" after a 2-1 defeat at Grigg Lane.

But veteran midfielder/defender Sheppard, who has played under both men, is firmly in Robinson's corner.

The 37-year-old former Bashley stalwart claimed: "Graham Kemp had the biggest budget anyone's ever had here but the club got into a position where they couldn't afford it any more and Robbo came in and had to pick up the pieces and completely rebuild the side.

"He's picked the team he thought was best today and we've let him down badly, but the players are all 110 per cent behind him.

"Ian's the most honest and committed manager I've ever played for. If I could have played for him years ago I would have done, knowing what I know now."

While the signing of towering former Bashley, Winchester and Weymouth targetman Michael Jackson added a new dimension to the Linnets attack, they looked worryingly insecure at the back.

Their frailties were exposed in a breathless burst of action on the brink of half-time when they lost the lead, reclaimed it and threw it away it again all in the space of five manic minutes.

Having breathed a sigh a relief when Bitton striker James Raynes spooned a dream chance over, Lymington forged ahead in the 31st minute at the third time of asking.

Ben Thomson rampaged down the left and Jackson laid his cross off to Darren Curtis, who had two efforts cleared off the line by Bitton skipper Ben Pope. As the ball looped free from Pope's second rescue act, Kevin James was there to force it home.

Lymington's woodwork and keeper Alan Walker-Harris's fingertips kept the Bristol visitors at bay before they finally got back on terms in the 45th minute when Raynes got the last touch to Lee Gitson's low, driven shot from the left.

Three minutes into stoppage time, James struck again after Thomson's shot had ricocheted into his path, but the butter-fingered Linnets couldn't hold onto the lead for more than a matter of seconds as Joe Mogg punished another defensive lapse to make it 2-2 at half-time.

Curtis, Jackson and Thomson all had chances as Lymington swarmed forward in the second half, but battling Bitton caught them with a 77th-minute sucker punch. Raynes' run and cross down the left set up Mogg to bag the close-range winner.

"I said at half-time that I would be bitterly disappointed if we lost because Bitton are not the best footballing side, but they had a lot of desire which was sadly missing from our boys," said Robinson.

"We've got some really good attacking individuals, but this team shirks responsibility. They think someone else should track back or make the challenge and they haven't learned to play as a unit yet.

"We had the chance to get into the last 16 against a side who, on another day, would be mid-table in our league. I can't help but think this was an opportunity lost."

The return of John Mills as chairman has brought fresh ambition to Fawcett's Field and the club are now ready to climb the pyramid having twice been forced to withdraw their Southern League application in recent seasons.

Agreeing with Sheppard's viewpoint, Mills said: "I felt the players let Ian down today. I don't want to take anything away from Bitton because they worked extremely hard, but we've played and beaten a lot better sides than that.

"We're on a very sound footing financially and we will be aiming to drive the team on next year. We're very ambitious and we're now in a position to go forward."