Walsh focuses on 'bigger picture' after Loxwood's loss to East Preston

Dan Huet’s late strike secured victory for EP, in a fixture where both sides had nothing to play for.

The Magpies’ status in the top-flight of Sussex football was secured over Easter, but Walsh felt the loss was ‘a tough result to take’.

He said: “It was a shame to end the season on a defeat. I wanted to try and finish the season on a high.

“It was a tough result to take. I don’t think we deserved to lose the game.

“But our finishing and the performance of their keeper meant we didn’t deserve to win either.

“If we had played another 90 minutes on top we wouldn’t have scored.

“I said to the boys at the end of the game, let’s look at the bigger picture.

SEE ALSO Loxwood 'can't sit back and look how well they've done' after securing survival | Broadbridge Heath hammer Loxwood in final home game | Loxwood's draw to confirm survival 'was a nice way to kick-off the bank holiday weekend'“What we’ve done this season has been a remarkable effort from everybody.”

Loxwood had the better of the opening exchanges, with EP’s Dave Beaney blocking a shot and then keeper Tom Crook saving a shot from outside the area.

Crook was called into action again when another shot saw him make a smart save.

The first opportunity for the visitors came from a Scott Slaughter throw but Asa Nicholson couldn’t get his shot away.

The Magpies had a long-range shot which Crook again saved well before Sam Pigeon’s header went wide.

The second-half saw both teams cancel each other out and it took a fantastic strike from Huet to break the deadlock.

With seven minutes remaining, the EP player struck a sweet volley from the edge of the area to seal the three points.

Loxwood: Matthews, Dawson, Robinson, Smith, Boiling, Courtney, Cowan, Mutongerwa, Miller, Goldson, Morey. Subs: Hooper-Ridsdale, Bennett, Popham, Dunningham.