FIXTURES - FEBRUARY 12th
F.A. Vase 5th Round
Hamworthy United 3-1 Tunbridge Wells
Littlehampton Town 3-3 Brockenhurst (4-1 on pens)
Premier Division
AFC Stoneham 1-1 Alresford Town
Alton 4-2 Portland United
Bashley 4-1 AFC Portchester
Cowes Sports 3-1 U.S. Portsmouth
Hamble Club 3-1 Christchurch
Horndean 2-0 Baffins Milton Rovers
Hythe & Dibden 0-2 Amesbury Town
Moneyfields 2-3 Bournemouth
Shaftesbury 5-2 Blackfield & Langley
Division One
Andover Town 0-1 Laverstock & Ford
Bemerton Heath Harlequins 6-0 Verwood Town
East Cowes Vics 2-1 Ash United
Millbrook 1-2 Fleet Spurs
Newport IoW 1-0 Fawley AFC
Petersfield Town 1-3 Andover New Street
Ringwood Town 1-6 Folland Sports
Romsey Town 1-3 Downton
Whitchurch United 5-2 Totton & Eling
The Buildbase FA Vase has to lead the way today with many congratulations to Hamworthy United and equal commiserations to Brockenhurst who went out by the cruellest way possible, the penalty shootout. A crowd of 661 packed in to the County Ground to see Hamworthy United beat Southern Counties East side Tunbridge Wells by three goals to one with Bailey Rowe the individual hero with all three goals, while the visitors’ response came deep into second half stoppage time.
Brockenhurst travelled to Southern Combination League leaders Littlehampton Town, coming back from 1-0 and then 3-1 down to take the tie to penalties. The Badgers goals came from Silvano Obeng and Christie Ward while the equaliser was scored by Alex Haynes in the sixth minute of second half stoppage time. However the penalty shootout went very much the Sussex side’s way with the final tally 4-1. And the attendance? A mere 1,276.
On to more “homely” matters and in the Premier Division Horndean retained top place with a 2-0 defeat of Baffins Milton Rovers courtesy of goals from Karol Skoczen and ex Baffins player, Tommy Tierney. Hamworthy and Brockenhurst remain in second and third spots while Bashley climbed to fourth with a 4-1 home win over AFC Portchester with two goals apiece from Lewis Ross and Adam Grange. Brad Lethbridge claimed the Portchester consolation. Shaftesbury were in the goals again at home with Joe Wickham (2), Aiden Shepherd, Ash Pope and Ben Satterley giving them a 5-2 win over Blackfield & Langley for whom Jack Nicholls and Owen Fee scored the goals.
AFC Stoneham were held to a one all draw at home to Alresford - Jake Thomson and Brandon Channell on the mark for their respective Clubs – but Moneyfields went down at home for the second Saturday running with Bournemouth winning by the odd goal in five. Jon Efedje, Kyle Graham and Jamie Wilson with the Poppies three and Tyler Moret and Danny Burroughs on target for the Moneys. Portland made the long journey to Alton but returned home empty handed with the Brewers winning by four goals to two and there were six different scorers on the afternoon. Oli Page, George Bowerman, Matt Benham and Scott Sanderson with the home goals and Ryan McKechnie and Greg Borthwick on the mark for Portland.
Welcome wins on the day for both Hamble Club and Cowes Sports and both with the same score line. On the Island goals from Jake Watson, Fin Phillips and Ji Nash proved too much for US Portsmouth who could only reply with a single from Luke Slade while at the Abbey, two from Jamie Burgess and one from Brandon Douglas against one from Steve Gilbert for Christchurch with all four goals coming late in the game. Finally, success for Amesbury who recorded only their second win of the season by defeating Hythe & Dibden 2-0 on the Waterside with both goals coming from Scott Hassell. Only two points now separate the two Clubs at the bottom of the table but they are both still a long way adrift of the rest.
The position at the top of Division One is every bit as tight as that in the Premier Division and changed little on the day with four of the top five clubs all winning. Bemerton Heath remain on top after comprehensively beating Verwood at Moon Park by 6-0 with Justin Bennett (2), Rudi Plummer, Eddie Perrett, Danny Young and Kane O’Keefe the six shooters. In the early kick off a lone goal from Jordan Browne gave Newport the points at Smallbrook against Fawley – a spirited performance by the visitors – while Follands matched Bemerton by scoring six at Ringwood Town though the visitors did notch a consolation through a Harry Smith penalty. The Follands goals were led by a hat trick for Will Gange with two from Jamie White and a single from Connor Rowe. Andover Town were the only losers going down to a Russell Jones goal for Laverstock & Ford at the Portway with Andover New Street completing the top five with a hard earned 3-1 win at Petersfield. The Street goals – two from Shane Lock and one from Adam Pearson - all came in a five minute spell midway through the first half with Aaron Akoman replying after the break.
The curse of "Club of the Month" has struck Romsey who are going through something of a bad run and went down 3-1 at home to Downton with the visitors goals coming from Sam Howe (two) and Callum Butler; John Cole with the home goal. Three welcome points for East Cowes Vics as they completed the double over Ash United with a best of three goals win at Beatrice Avenue. Sam Cant and Jimmi Burton for Vics and Jordan Devanney with the single strike for Ash.
With Infinity’s resignation from the League, New Milton were left without a game which just leaves the two matches involving the bottom two. Fleet Spurs fared much the better winning 2-1 at Millbrook thanks to goals from Tom White and Ryan Goddard – the Millbrook goal coming from Mark Barker, but Totton & Eling’s struggles continue after they were beaten 5-2 at Whitchurch. Ryan Long with two, Grant Powell, an own goal and Nathan Lynch – a long time since that name last appeared in these columns – for the Jamboys and a brace for Sam Ellis for the Millers. Spurs now have a three point gap between themselves and their rivals at the bottom.
But the day belongs to the FA Vase and despite the one loss immense praise is due to both Hamworthy United and Brockenhurst who have carried themselves, and by association the League, with so much credit and style in the Competition. Hopefully a home draw for Hamworthy on Monday.
