uhlsport HAMPSHIRE PREMIER LEAGUE

It's cup weekend again, as almost all our teams are involved in either the Hampshire Premier League Cup or the George Mason Memorial Shield. The draw has pitted many teams from the same division against each other, only a quarter of the games are where Division 1 teams play Senior division teams. The Hampshire Premier League Cup has reached the round 2 stage, and teams near the top of the Senior Division have some tough away draws against teams from the same division. Leaders AFC Shirley travel to fourth-placed Hook, second-placed Locks Heath are at Whitehill and Bordon, and third-placed Crofton Saints go to Broughton. Denmead, in sixth, are not in great forum and have a real test at Division 1 Hedge End Town. Paulsgrove have already beaten Southsea Sports on pens at the Langstone in the Portsmouth Senior Cup this season and travel there again. Sway host in-form Hedge End Rangers. There is also an attractive all-Division One tie as top five sides AFC Netley and Nursling & Shirley meet. The George Mason Memorial Shield is for teams who lost in the first round of the League Cup, and there are some good teams in it. There are two all-Senior Division ties - mid-table Meon Milton host third-bottom Liphook United, and the bottom two meet at the Portway as Andover Town play Stockbridge. Moneyfields Res were knocked out at Division One Overton last weekend, this time out they travel to BTC Southampton, who are fourth in that division.  All-Division One matches see leaders Overton United at home to Twentyten, third-placed Silchester Village at Whiteley Wanderers, a mid-table clash between Mob Albion and Rushmoor Community, and a home game for improving Hayling United against second-bottom Headley United. Bishops Waltham Dynamos and Liss Athletic have byes. One other cup game sees a second attempt to play United Services Portsmouth Res v Bishops Waltham Dynamos in the Hampshire Senior Trophy - the HMS Temeraire pitch was unfit last weekend.

It's Hampshire Saturday Trophy weekend and many of our clubs are in action, quite a few with a long journey to undertake. There are several league games too. No less than four of our clubs are scheduled to make the expensive journey across the Solent to play Isle of Wight teams. The hardest trip is probably for Rushmoor Community, who are at Whitecroft & Barton Sports, regular winners of the IOW league and current unbeaten leaders.  Shanklin have also done well in the IOW league recently, and they host Whitehill & Bordon. Teams currently in the lower half of the IOW table include Oakfield, who play Meon Milton, and Northwood St Johns, who play Headley United. Good luck to all our teams over there! We only have one team playing a Southampton League team this time; Stockbridge are not having a great time of it in our league, and have a tricky trip to play Dynamo Dockside. Two of our teams play reserve/U23 teams, who are a bit of an unknown quantity; Southsea Sports host Bashley U23, and Bishops Waltham Dynamos are at United Services Portsmouth Res. We also have three all-HPFL matchups, both Hedge End teams are at home, Town face last year's beaten finalists Crofton Saints at the NormRod, which should be a good one, and Rangers face Denmead. a battle of two top five sides in the Senior Division, at the Deer Park. Overton United, top of Div One, host Moneyfields Res, in the lower reaches of the Senior Division, and may fancy their chances. We also have three matches in the Senior Division ; Liphook United climbed out of the bottom two with a narrow win over last-placed Andover Town last weekend, this weekend see the reverse fixture at the Portway. Leaders AFC Shirley face a real test of their pedigree as they play at seventh-place Liss Athletic, and two teams currently mid-table who could go higher with a couple of good results play each other as Hook are at home to Broughton. Four games, too, in Division One ; a big game is due to take place in Romsey as third-placed AFC Netley host unbeaten second-placed Silchester Village. BTC Southampton, in fourth, will hope to continue their good start to the season as they host Mob Albion, who had that remarkable 7-3 win over Nursling & Shirley last week. Nursling & Shirley themselves will be looking to get back on track with a home game against Twentyten. Sway host Hayling United at the Jubilee Field. Finally, there is another cup match - one of the Portsmouth variety this time, as Paulsgrove, who have done well in the cups this season, host Senior Division Locks Heath at the KGV Cosham, always a competitive match.