Friday January 14th
Division One
Totton & Eling 1-7 Folland Sports
Saturday January 15th
F.A. Vase 4th Round
Brockenhurst 2-0 New Milton Town
Hamworthy United 3-2 Glebe
Premier Division
AFC Portchester 5-1 Alton
AFC Stoneham 2-2 Shaftesbury
Blackfield & Langley 1-2 Hamble Club
Bournemouth 2-2 Fareham Town
Christchurch 0-0 Baffins Milton Rovers
Cowes Sports 1-1 Alresford Town
Horndean 4-2 Bashley
Moneyfields 2-2 Portland United
U.S. Portsmouth 3-0 Amesbury Town
Division One
Bemerton Heath Harlequins 1-2 Andover New Street
Fawley AFC 1-2 Andover Town
Fleet Spurs 0-2 Romsey Town
Millbrook 2-1 Whitchurch United
Newport IoW 7-1 Downton
Petersfield Town 0-2 Laverstock & Ford
Ringwood Town 0-0 East Cowes Vics
The only possible place to start is the FA Vase where, after todays two matches. the League has two clubs through to the last sixteen of the Competition. In front of a staggering attendance of 850 plus – where did they all park? – Brockenhurst defeated fellow Wessex League side New Milton 2-0 with the second half goals coming from Matt Sheedy and Alex Haynes. Delight for the Badgers, despair for New Milton, but the latter can be proud of the Vase exploits this season. At the County ground a superb second half performance sat Hamworthy United come from two goals down against visitors Glebe FC from Kent to win 3-2 thanks to goals from Steve Devlin, Eddie Hodge and Jamie Beasley.
In the Premier Division there were goals as expected at Five Heads Park with leaders Horndean overcoming Bashley by four goals to two – Zack Willett, Luke Dempsey, Connor Duffin and Tommy Tierney for the Deans and Lewis Ross and Harry Bunce for the visitors. Five games ended with the scores level, including at Hurn Bridge where Christchurch earned a valuable point against Baffins with neither side troubling the scorers. Goals were also expected at AFC Stoneham and again those in attendance were not disappointed as Shaftesbury’s Ash Pope and Greg Peel cancelled out strikes from Nathan Clements and Scott Hills. A similar score line at Victoria Park where goals from Stuart Morgan and Josh Benfield gave Fareham a 2-0 advantage before a double from Conor Jevon ensured the points were shared.
It was one apiece between Cowes Sports and Alresford on the island – a John McKie penalty against a goal from Jamie Parker-Trott – and a very good point for Portland United at Moneyfields. The home side 2-0 up at the break courtesy of Matt McGlinchey and Dec Seiden, before goals from Greg Borthwick and George Stuttle bought the scores level. AFC Portchester continued their current form with a 5-1 win over Alton, Rafa Ramos leading the way with two backed up by Lee Wort, Steve Ramsey and Sam Pearce, with Rob Carr claiming Alton’s consolation.
Something of a commentator’s nightmare at Gang Warily where a goal for Blackfield’s Jack Nicholls was sandwiched between two goals by Jack Nicholas for Hamble Club. Hythe & Dibden were not in action but Amesbury missed the chance to widen the gap between them, going down 3-0 at US Portsmouth – Simon Woods, Flo Vucaj and Joe Johnson on target. After all that Horndean still top the table with Baffins Milton Rovers and Hamworthy United in close attendance.
In Division One four of the top five in the table won with Follands leading the way with a 7-1 victory at Totton & Eling on Friday evening. Ethan Anders notched a hat trick with Tremayne Moore, Brad Johnson, Jake Newton and an own goal making it seven up and Sam Ellis scoring for the beleaguered home side. Newport matched that with a similar result against Downton with the game being played at East Cowes Vics. Again, there was a hat trick – from Connor Kelly – with two from Jordan Browne and singles credited to Joe Craig and Spike Pearce with Sam Howe replying for the visitors.
Andover Town won by the odd goal in three at Fawley – Ben Bolton’s goal being bettered by Charles Medway and David Jerrard – and the only side to lose were the leaders Bemerton Heath. They were forced to play with ten men for three quarters of the game against Andover New Street at Moon Park, went 2-0down to Harry Lawton and an own goal but in a spirited second half showing they could only score once through George Bishop.
Just outside the top five- two goals from Russell Jones gave Laverstock & Ford victory at Petersfield and Romsey Town achieved the same result at Fleet Spurs thanks to goals from Owen Holloway and Jack Odam. Cameron George gave Whitchurch the lead at Test Park but goals from Callum Drake and Johnny Macaulay saw Millbrook home and in the final game neither Ringwood Town nor East Cowes Vics could find the net. The match between Ash United and Infinity was postponed with the latter still struggling administratively.
The position at the top of the table remains unchanged but Bemerton’s lead has been narrowed while Totton & Eling and Fleet Spurs are looking a little isolated at the bottom. But pride of place and all plaudits today go to Brockenhurst and Hamworthy United – in to the last sixteen of the Vase. Will the draw manage to pair them together?