ENCOURAGING Colin Hopkins, pictured, believes it’s only a matter of time before hapless Downton will be toasting a first victory in Wessex Division 1.

Robins’ boss watched his side, who have collated two points from six games, crash to a fifth campaign defeat at riding-high Team Solent, despite plumping for a more attacking formation.

A goalmouth scramble led to Patrick Nolan’s first and a second arrived as Paul Gulliver impeded a visiting player outside the box and the free kick was whipped into the corner by Jesse Lassen.

The Wick Lane visitors came close to getting back on track when Craig Tyson skimmed the woodwork from a replicate free kick.

But that missed chance proved pivotal as Lassen’s double killed the game off with a classy third.

Hopkins said: “We played excellent football at times, plus a more positive sign was that we worked the opposition keeper.

“But unfortunately we came up against an excellent side who were simply better than us and I have to pay credit to the style of football Team Solent played.

“What we must do now is take our recent improvements into our next game and, with the addition of experienced midfielder Matt Holmes from Bemerton and striker Ross Bentall from Shrewton, I believe our first win is extremely close.”