STREETS AHEAD! ANDOVER DIVISION ONE CHAMPIONS
April 16, 2023
Congratulations to Andover New Street, who are the Division One champions for 2022/23, following their 4-1 victory over play-off hopefuls, Newport IOW at Foxcotte Park.
Layton Tulk and a brace from Ross Cook put the hosts in a commanding position going into the interval, with Cameron Thatcher adding gloss in added time to secure Street's return to the Premier Division.
Newport's defeat seeing the Islanders drop to fourth, while New Milton Town won 4-0 at Fleetlands, and Hamworthy Recreation chalking up a 2-0 win over East Cowes Vics at Magna Road.
Petersfield Town look like staying in fifth spot, the last play-off slot, as they could only share the spoils at Fawley where it ended one each.
Downton though are the big winners this weekend, a 12-0 mauling of basement side Fleet Spurs with Sam Howe and Krys Krystofowicz both getting four goals to their name. The result is the biggest win in the League this season.
With Ringwood having to sit out at the weekend due to pitch conditions at Totton & Eling, it means that Ash United’s 2-2 draw at home against Whitchurch sees the final relegation slot still to be decided.
Meanwhile, the Premier Division title race continues for another week, with all four contenders winning - and all on their travels, although it was a close run thing at two venues.
It took two late goals at Hamble to see AFC Portchester maintain a five point cushion at the top, and they also have a superior goal difference advantage. Horndean though still have games in hand and they ran out as 5-0 winners at Laverstock & Ford.
AFC Stoneham did likewise at Bournemouth. It took a last minute goal at Nyetimber Lane (pictured, above) to see Bemerton Heath Harlequins stay in the shake up, with Pagham now four points from safety with three games to play.
Portland United maintained their fine run with a 3-0 win at basement side Alresford Town.
Header Photo: Simon Greene
Story Photo: Robin Caddy
AFC Stoneham have started the season where they left off the last - collecting more silverware in the form of the Wessex League Charity Cup, following a 3-1 success over Hamble Club. Proceeds from the occasion supported the Geoff Smith Legacy Fund - supporting young children in local communities on their football journeys, set-up in memory of the long-serving AFC Stoneham Chairman who sadly passed away in May. Kian Towse and Braydon Douglas gave the hosts a 2-0 advantage into the interval, before Harry Hamilton pulled one back for the League Cup winners without around ten left to play.
Premier Division fixtures have been released for August, in an opening month which includes FA Cup ties for our clubs. Hamble Club host the inaugural fixture of 2026/27 with Andover New Street the visitors on July 28, prior to a full schedule on August 1. Bashley hosting their first Wessex League game for four years, as they face Hamble. Horndean welcome Sherborne Town to Five Heads Park while new side, Sturminster Newton United welcome a returning Fareham Town. Meanwhile, promoted Fleetlands start life in Step 5 with a home fixture against Laverstock & Ford: Tuesday 28 th July PREMIER DIVISION Hamble Club v Andover New Street Saturday 1 st August PREMIER DIVISION Bashley v Hamble Club Bournemouth v Hythe & Dibden Cowes Sports v Brockenhurst Downton v Petersfield Town East Cowes Vics v Andover New Street Fleetlands v Laverstock & Ford Horndean v Sherborne Town Millbrook v Hamworthy Recreation Sturminster Newton United v Fareham Town You can see August's schedule in full via the link below: DOWNLOAD - PREMIER DIVISION - AUGUST FIXTURES The full season for the Premier Division will be released on Full-Time on Sunday. We expect to release Division One fixtures in full by w/c July 13. This is due to ground shares with clubs at Steps 3-4. Further updates will appear on Full-Time and on our X account .
Early round draws have been made for the Emirates FA Cup, FA Vase and FA Youth Cup involving Wessex sides, with details as follows: EMIRATES FA CUP EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND Ties to be played on Saturday, August 8 Winners receive £1,125 Losers receive £375 Andover New Street v Christchurch Badshot Lea v Brockenhurst Bournemouth v Downton Cowes Sports v Hamble Club Devizes Town v Hamworthy Recreation East Cowes Victoria v AFC Stoneham Horndean v Hartley Wintney Laverstock & Ford v Eversley & California Millbrook v Bradford Town Paulton Rovers v Fleetlands Petersfield Town v Fareham Town Portland United v Sturminster Newton United Shepton Mallet v Bashley Sherborne Town v Baffins Milton Rovers Tadley Calleva v Bemerton Heath Harlequins Westbury United v Hythe & Dibden FAC EP - DRAW IN FULL EMIRATES FA CUP PRELIMINARY ROUND Ties to be played on Saturday, August 22 Winners receive £1,444 Losers receive £481 AFC Portchester v Westbury United or Hythe & Dibden Andover New Street or Christchurch v Shaftesbury Bournemouth or Downton v Millbrook or Bradford Town Cowes Sports or Hamble Club v Tadley Calleva or Bemerton Heath Harlequins Devizes Town or Hamworthy Recreation v Fleet Town or Melksham Town East Cowes Victoria or AFC Stoneham v Badshot Lea or Brockenhurst Moneyfields v Portland United or Sturminster Newton United Paulton Rovers or Fleetlands v Yateley United or Alton Petersfield Town or Fareham Town v Laverstock & Ford or Eversley & California Sherborne Town or Baffins Milton Rovers v Horndean or Hartley Wintney Weymouth v Shepton Mallet or Bashley FAC PR - DRAW IN FULL ISUZU FA VASE FIRST ROUND QUALIFYING Ties to be played on Saturday, August 15 Winners receive £550 Losers receive £160 Andover New Street v Bemerton Heath Harlequins Bashley v Blandford United Bridport v Folland Sports Bristol Telephones v AFC Aldermaston Clanfield v Romsey Town Cove v Laverstock & Ford Fareham Town v Baffins Milton Rovers Fleetlands v Wincanton Town Hamble Club v Cowes Sports Horndean v Totton & Eling Kintbury Rangers v Mangotsfield United Newport (IW) v Colden Common Pagham v Millbrook Sandhurst Town v Wokingham Town Selsey v Hamworthy United FAV 1Q - DRAW IN FULL ISUZU FA VASE SECOND ROUND QUALIFYING Ties to be played on Saturday, September 12 Winners receive £725 Losers receive £225 Bridport or Folland Sports v Alton or Badshot Lea Bristol Telephones or AFC Aldermaston v Newent Town or Almondsbury Camberley Town v Cove or Laverstock & Ford Clanfield or Romsey Town v Bournemouth East Cowes Victoria v Fleetlands or Wincanton Town Eversley & California or AEK Boco v Kintbury Rangers or Mangotsfield United Fareham Town or Baffins Milton Rovers v New Milton Town Fawley AFC v Ash United Frimley Green v Brockenhurst Hamble Club or Cowes Sports v Christchurch Hedge End Rangers v Horndean or Totton & Eling Pagham or Millbrook v Newport (IW) or Colden Common Petersfield Town v Andover New Street or Bemerton Heath Harlequins Ringwood Town v Selsey or Hamworthy United Sandhurst Town or Wokingham Town v Carterton or Wells City Sherborne Town v Bashley or Blandford United Whitchurch United v Midhurst & Easebourne or Warminster Town FAV 2Q - DRAW IN FULL FA YOUTH CUP PRELIMINARY ROUND Ties to be played in w/c August 31 Alton v Bemerton Heath Harlequins Bashley v AFC Portchester Gosport Borough v Fareham Town Hamworthy Recreation v Millbrook Portland United v Hamble Club Shaftesbury v Bournemouth Weymouth or Sholing v Christchurch Wimborne Town v Petersfield Town FAYC PR - DRAW IN FULL
The draw for the first and second rounds of the Wessex League Cup has been made, with ten ties scheduled (dates to be confirmed). FIRST ROUND: Ash United v Hamworthy Recreation Bashley v Romsey Town Blandford United v Cowes Sports Bournemouth Poppies v Kintbury Rangers Brockenhurst v Sandhurst Town Christchurch v Totton & Eling Fawley AFC v East Cowes Victoria Athletic Frimley Green v Fareham Town Sherborne Town v AFC Aldermaston Sturminster Newton United v Lymington Town SECOND ROUND: Ash United or Hamworthy Recreation v Baffins Milton Rovers Alresford Town v Whitchurch United Andover New Street v Brockenhurst or Sandhurst Town Bashley or Romsey Town v Ringwood Town Bournemouth Poppies or Kintbury Rangers v Sturminster Newton United or Lymington Town Colden Common v Christchurch or Totton & Eling Downton v Fleetlands Fawley AFC or East Cowes Victoria Athletic v Blandford United or Cowes Sports Frimley Green or Fareham Town v Cove Hamworthy United v New Milton Town Hedge End Rangers v Bemerton Heath Harlequins Hythe & Dibden v Hamble Club Laverstock & Ford v Amesbury Town Millbrook v Horndean Newport (IOW) v Folland Sports Petersfield Town v Sherborne Town or AFC Aldermaston
The Wessex League is delighted to announce Victor Sports as its new Official Medical Partner for the next two seasons. The partnership will provide significant benefits to member clubs across the league, helping to reduce the cost of sports medical supplies, while ensuring clubs have access to high-quality medical products and support.
The Wessex Football League is delighted to announce a new partnership with TwelveYards , as Official Graphics Partners ahead of the upcoming season. This partnership has been put together for one simple reason: to help our clubs save time and stand-out on social media. Alongside the benefits being passed down to our teams, the Wessex League will also be using TwelveYards ourselves to power and enhance the league’s social media channels. Helping Clubs Deal with the Matchday Rush Matchdays are hectic. The same few volunteers are usually juggling the turnstiles, running the tea bar and trying to tweet live match updates all at once. When you’re that busy, putting together high-quality social media graphics is a massive headache. As a result, content isn’t always consistent and local sponsors don’t always get the exposure they deserve. TwelveYards fixes that. Their easy-to-use portal lets anyone - even if you have absolutely zero design experience - create professional matchday, commercial and club graphics in seconds. It gives Wessex League clubs the tools to look just as sharp and polished as professional teams online, which help bring in more fans and attract more commercial revenue. Exclusive Offers for Every Wessex League Club To make sure this partnership directly benefits our teams on a practical level, TwelveYards is offering an exclusive discount and package for Wessex League clubs: ● First 30 Days FREE: Every club in the league can try the platform for free for the first month, with hands-on support to get your club set up. ● 12% Discount: Reduced monthly rates across both packages to keep costs down for the season. ● Founding 15 Price Freeze: The first 15 Wessex League clubs to sign up will lock in their discounted rate for life. As long as your clubs stays signed up, your price will never go up.
