NEW YEAR FIXTURES
Monday January 3rd
Premier Division
Alton 5-3 Alresford Town
Christchurch 3-2 Brockenhurst
Cowes Sports 0-1 Shaftesbury
Fareham Town 2-3 AFC Portchester
Hamble Club 2-0 Amesbury Town
Hythe & Dibden P-P AFC Stoneham
Moneyfields 2-3 Baffins Milton Rovers
Portland United 1-5 Hamworthy United
Division One
Andover New Street 2-0 Whitchurch United (Match report)
Ash United 3-0 Fleet Spurs (Match report)
Bemerton Heath Harlequins 3-0 Laverstock & Ford
East Cowes Vics 0-2 Fawley AFC
New Milton Town 2-4 Millbrook
Newport IoW P-P Totton & Eling
Petersfield Town 3-2 Andover Town
Ringwood Town 2-3 Verwood Town
Romsey Town 3-2 Infinity
Tuesday January 4th
Premier Division
Horndean 3-1 U.S. Portsmouth
Division One
Folland Sports 1-1 Downton
Fortunately, only two games were lost to the weather on Monday – Hythe and Dibden versus AFC Stoneham in the Premier Division and Totton and Eling’s trip to Newport in Division One – leaving a virtually full programme including two games on Tuesday.
In the Premier Division Christchurch have endured a wretched start to the season but have shown marked signs of improvement in recent matches and that was continued on Monday with a best of five goals victory over Brockenhurst at Hurn Bridge. The visitors led two one at half time through Silvano Obeng and Christie Ward but goals from Eder Batista, Chris Speers and Matt Morris ensured the welcome three points for the home side. No such problems for Hamworthy United who ran out five one winners at Portland United with a Cameron Munn hat trick and goals from Sam Lanahan and Max Wilcock against Joel Hewitt’s first half strike for Portland.
A superb game at Moneyfields and victory for Baffins Milton Rovers with an incredible start to the second half. Dec Seiden had given Moneys the lead at the break but in the space of six minutes on the restart Steve Hutchings made it two only for goals from Jason Parish, Craig McAllister (on his debut) and Harry Sergeant to turn the score on its head. The attendance of 507 means that in excess of 1000 people have watched the two meetings between the Clubs this season. There was an even larger attendance at Fareham, a staggering 621, to see AFC Portchester score the only goal of the second half to give them a three two victory, The home scorers were Stuart Morgan and Archie Wilcox with Rafa Ramos scoring twice and Steve Ramsey notching the all - important third for Portchester.
Goals galore in the derby in the North East of the County as Alton beat near neighbours Alresford Town five three in the lunch time kick off. Nearly three hundred watched the proceedings with Oli Graham (2), Matt Benham, Luke Perkins and an own goal making up the Alton five with Jake Adams, Brandon Channell and Sutcha Shepherd on target for Alresford. A rather different story at Westwood Park where anyone arriving two minutes after the kick off would have missed the only goal of the game, a strike from Ash Pop that gave Shaftesbury the points against Cowes Sports. Lastly Amesbury remain deep in the relegation area after going down two nil at Hamble Club after second half goals from Kelvin Robinson and Clayd Roach.
The top game in Division One was the Salisbury derby at Bemerton where, in front of an attendance exceeding three hundred, the home side ended Laverstock and Ford’s recent successful run with a three nil victory courtesy of two goals from Ronan Clancy and one from Cameron Roach and strengthened their own position at the top of the table, which was also helped by Andover Town’s defeat at Petersfield. The two sides met a month or so ago at the Portway with Andover coming out on top by the odd goal in five but Petersfield turned the tables with the same scoreline and bought Town’s long unbeaten run to an end. Aaron Akomah, Paul Aybeseyi and Brandon Jewell scored the home goals with Josh Berti and an own goal making up Andover’s tally.
With Newport not playing and Follands not in action until Tuesday, Andover New Street closed the gap at the top with a two nil win at home to Whitchurch that was more comfortable than the score suggests thanks to goals from Ross Cook and Shane Lock. Verwood returned to winning ways with a three two win at near neighbours Ringwood Town courtesy of an Ollie Davis hat trick with Harry Smith claiming both the home goals. Two goals also for Jack Odam for Romsey which coupled with one from Charlie Rattley gave them a three two win over Infinity for whom Jamie White and Danny Phillips were on the mark.
New Milton continue to struggle in the League, going down four two at home to Millbrook for whom Callum Drake and James Lavender added to two goals from Mark Barker while Charlie Turner and Luke Stone were on song for the Linnets. Fawley continue to move up the table after a two nil win on the Island at East Cowes Vics – Dylan Knight and Tom Munday on target – while the ex-Combined Counties clash between Ash United and Fleet Spurs ended three nil in the home side’s favour. Harvey Webster, Jordan Devanney and Ryan Green with the goals with the visitors not helping themselves by collecting two red cards.
On Tuesday Horndean broke cleat from the log jam at the top of the Premier Division by defeating US Portsmouth three one at Five Heads Park, and topping the eighty goal mark for the season, with two from Harry Jackson and one from Zac Willett. Connor Grant claimed the visitors’ consolation. In Division One promotion hopefuls Follands were held to a one all home draw by Downton with Sam Howe giving the visitors a half time lead and Jake Newton equalising after the break.
Mention is made in the above of some outstanding attendances but overall, they were staggering on the day. Taking the two Divisions as one on Monday some 3500 people watched the matches, a credit to the League and to all those responsible, both on and off the pitch.
