NON-league football has clocked up another managerial casualty with 'Mr Hythe & Dibden' Dave Cox quitting the Hampshire Leaguers after 14 years at Jones Lane.

Cox's decision follows a traumatic weekend on the local circuit that has seen Tony Mount step down at Newport IoW and then Chris Collinge throwing in the towel at Brockenhurst.

Cox, who doubles up as vice-chairman of the Watersiders, has considered leaving before, but this time he means business. He said: "We've had a run of bad results but the club won't sack me, so I've got to do it myself.

"I've told the committee I'm going but I don't think the chairman Robbie Parsons will believe it unless he reads it in the paper.

"We've got a game at Stockbridge tomorrow and I hope they realise they've got to find someone else."

The last straw for Cox was Saturday's 2-0 home reverse by Horndean which left Hythe 11th.

He said: "I've put a lot into the club but I've been finding it hard to motivate myself and the players. I need a new challenge."

Cox's cause has not been helped by losing players like goalkeeper Greg Livermore, Colin Burdle and the Oakley brothers, Nathan and Wayne, to Wessex League neighbours Blackfield & Langley.

Former Bashley chairman David Malone is the new director of football at his home town club Winchester City. Malone, who runs an offshore investment company in Winchester, joins the board of directors and becomes part-owner of the ambitious Hampshire League Premier Division title-chasers.

His decision to climb aboard at the City Ground comes little more than a fortnight after he parted company with Dr Martens Eastern Division outfit Bashley, having grown disillusioned with a lack of support from the committee.

Said Malone: "The rubbish I put up with at Bashley has knocked the stuffing out of me a bit but, having taken a ten-day look at Winchester to see where the club's going, I can see it's got potential. Unlike Bashley, it has a city presence and the potential to pull in crowds.

"There's still a lot work to be done to get out of the Hampshire League, but the club's got the resources."

Hampshire's senior representative team hit the road to Exeter City's St James Park ground tonight (8.00) needing at least a draw against Devon to keep their South West Counties Championship flame burning.

Manager Paul Doswell has been hit by a spate of frontline withdrawals with Tommy Pegler (AFC Newbury), Martin Whiddett (Totton) and Ian Mancey (Fleet) all unable to travel.

Hamble ASSC's former Bashley frontman Richard Morse is added to the squad and Doswell is hoping to get the thumbs up from Fareham Town's exciting, young duo Darren Watts and James Lacey. Lloyd Webber is still available even though he has left Jewson Wessex League champions Andover for Conference outfit Woking.

Christchurch, who face Dr Martens Premier outfit Havant & Waterlooville in the Hampshire Senior Cup tonight, have signed Charlie Richards from Brockenhurst.

Richards scored on his debut in Saturday's 1-1 JWL draw with Fleet Town and manager Tony Brown smiled: "He's fitted in a treat."