VETERAN former Crystal Palace and Millwall defender Paul Hinshelwood has been called in to try and rescue Selsey.

But, despite the efforts of the 42-year-old, the bottom three of Selsey, Hailsham and Broadbridge Heath are starting to admit they face the drop.

Heath boss Martin Gander is the most blunt. He said: "I can't see us getting out of the bottom three.

"We've only won three times all season but now we need to win seven out of seven."

His Hailsham counterpart Dave Winterton conceded: "Unless we beat Chichester twice I think we'll go down."

And Selsey's Mark Campbell added: "The gap above us is getting wider. It's going to be very, very tough."

This is the sort of form which has left the three sides in dire straits:

HEATH: No wins in the last 16 games.

SELSEY: Just one success in the last 18.

HAILSHAM: Five successive defeats.

Gander described last week's defeat by Chichester as the final nail in the coffin while Winterton takes little consolation from the rave reviews his efforts as goalkeeper have been earning.

Selsey can at least cling to the hope of winning their home games with Heath and Hailsham.

There is also doubt that Storrington's facilities, should they finish in Division Two's top three, will be good enough for the top flight.

But, if Chichester win at Littlehampton tonight, the gap will suddenly be seven points and the bottom three will be all but doomed.

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