Picture slideshow: Hand not giving up hope with Golds on the brink of relegation

Golds suffered late heartache as Michael Wood’s injury-time strike saw them fall to a 3-2 home defeat at the hands of Loxwood.

Lucas Pattenden’s effort five minutes from the end looked to have salvaged a point for Golds but they failed to come away with anything.

Littlehampton are four points adrift at the foot of the table with just two games left but interim manager Hand believes maximum points from their final two games will put them in with a great chance of pulling off a great escape.

He said: “I personally believe we still have a chance and, if we can get six points, I think we’ll remain in the division.

“We go to Arundel as massive underdogs now. They had the luxury of resting seven or eight first team players against Three Bridges, which we don’t have.

“The odds are in their favour but we’ll see what we can do and where it takes us, hopefully we’ll be able to pull it off.”

Midfielder Liam Humphreys found the net three minutes before the break to give Golds a one-goal advantage

Loxwood levelled things up 15 minutes from time through Dean Wright, then Worthing loanee Reece Hallard headed Magpies ahead for the first time eight minutes later.

Golds found a way back, making it 2-2 through Pattenden and looked on course to come away with what would have been a valuable point.

There was to be late heartache for Hand and his troops, with Wood netting two minutes from time to leave Golds on the brink of relegation.