The new season starts this coming weekend with a full programme of Senior Division matches (Division 1 starts on Aug 16th) and we will all be curious to see how everyone shapes up. Liss Athletic had a great end to the season, finishing runners-up and winning the George Mason Memorial Shield. Pre-season, they have already won the Clanfield Cup, so they should be full of confidence. They open their campaign with a home game against Broughton, who also had a fantastic season - champions of Division One and winners of the North Hants Intermediate Cup - in what should be an interesting game. Other teams that finished in the top five last season have tough-looking games for their season openers; Locks Heath, who finished third, travel to Liphook United, who were seventh, and both teams will be looking forward to good campaigns. Bishops Waltham Dynamos continued their great progress last season, finishing fourth, and they start with a tasty-looking home game against Andover Town, who ended up sixth and will surely be looking to challenge for a promotion place this time around. Hedge End Rangers finished a commendable fifth in their return to the Senior Division and will be looking to build on that; they start with a tricky-looking trip to Meon Milton, who also had a solid season in their debut at this level. Two other teams new to the Senior Division who are fancied to do well are AFC Shirley, who won the Southampton League comfortably; they begin with a home game against Moneyfields Res, and Crofton Saints, promoted from Division 1, who also won the League Cup with an impressive performance against Colden Common. They face a trip to Whitehill & Bordon, never an easy place to go. Two teams who will be looking to challenge after doing well last season and having had good pre-seasons are Hook and Southsea Sports (formerly Harvest), who face each other. Denmead host Stockbridge in a battle of two teams who had their moments last season. There are six more games on the following Tuesday; there are two early local derbies as Liphook United host Whitehill & Bordon and a new one - Stockbridge are at home to Broughton. AFC Shirley v Hedge End Rangers could be another interesting match-up.

On the weekend of the 27th and 28th September is the play safe weekend. This year, the FA are asking adults that play grassroots level to give people a voice. To create open conversations, ask questions, and actively listen to children. Watch, Listen, Talk and Act. You can find out more information here: https://thefa.com/playsafe

Opening day fixtures for our Senior Division have been released, with last season's Division One champions, Broughton, heading to Senior Division runners-up, Liss Athletic. Division One runners-up, Crofton Saints head to Whitehill & Bordon for their first test at the higher level, while Southampton League champions, AFC Shirley host Moneyfields Reserves at Mansel Park for the August 2 start. See the link below for the full list, which includes some additional midweek dates - alongside the first round of the League Cup: Opening Day Fixtures - Senior Division League Cup Draw Division One dates will be released in due course, with their season commencing on August 16. Photo: Paul Paxford

The constitution for the uhlsport Hampshire Premier League has been confirmed following the League AGM at the Silverlake Stadium on Sunday. The Senior Division will comprise of 16 teams, with three new sides - AFC Shirley (promoted from the Southampton League champions); Broughton (Division One champions) and Crofton Saints (Division One runners-up). Harvest have re-named as Southsea Sports. We wish Colden Common well as they are promoted to the Wessex League Division One as last season's Senior Division champions, with the bottom two in Paulsgrove and Sway relegated to the Division One. Division One features 14 sides, additionally welcoming BTC Southampton - runners-up in the Southampton League. QK Southampton have re-named as Nursling & Shirley, with Twentyten and Whiteley Wanderers reprieved. Upham have unfortunately withdrawn. Full line-up: Senior Division (16) AFC Shirley Andover Town Bishops Waltham Dynamos Broughton Crofton Saints Denmead Hedge End Rangers Hook Liphook United Liss Athletic Locks Heath Meon Milton Moneyfields Reserves Southsea Sports Stockbridge Whitehill & Bordon Division One (14) AFC Netley BTC Southampton Hayling United Headley United Hedge End Town Mob Albion Rushmoor Community Overton United Nursling & Shirley Paulsgrove Silchester Village Sway Twentyten Whiteley Wanderers The Senior Division gets under way on August 2 with Division One commencing on August 16. The first round draw of the uhlsport Hampshire Premier League Cup has also been made (ties to be played on September 6), and can be found via the link below: uhlsport Hampshire Premier League Cup Draw

Our HPFL sides claimed three trophies over the weekend in the League Cup Finals Day and Aldershot Intermermediate Cup. Division One runners-up Crofton Saints (main photo, courtesy Steve Ross) caused a cupset in beating Senior Division champions, Colden Common in the uhlsport League Cup final - the second of two finals played out in the May sunshine at AFC Portchester. CUP FINALS DAY - PROGRAMME DOWNLOAD Saints led via a penalty before adding a second prior to the interval, before Colden were reduced to ten early in the second half, but Crofton held out after Colden were reduced to ten following a sending-off. Crofton could well make it a cup double success on Tuesday evening (13th) in the Hampshire FA Trophy, as they take on Tadley Calleva Reserves at AFC Stoneham (7.45pm).

During the long Bank holiday weekend the top three positions in each division were confirmed. In the Senior Division, Colden Common are champions, Liss Athletic the runners-up and Locks Heath are third. In Division One, Broughton are champions, Crofton Saints the runners-up and Overton United are third. This coming Saturday we look forward to our Cup Final weekend, to be held at AFC Portchester. At 1100 we begin with the George Mason Memorial Shield , an all Senior-Division affair. Liss Athletic have had a great season, securing second place in the league, scoring over 100 goals in the process. They lost to AFC Portchester only on penalties in the Russell-Cotes Cup. They have beaten Andover Town and Rushmoor Community to get to this final. They face Denmead, a young side, who will finish in the bottom half of the table, but who have had some good results during the season. They have won at Hayling United, Bishops Waltham Dynamos and Overton United to get to this final. At 1400 we have the uhlsport League Cup Final . Senior Division Colden Common have won the league, again scoring over 100 goals in the process and were undefeated at home. They have beaten Hayling United, Hook, and Whitehill & Bordon to reach this final. They face Division One Crofton Saints, who have had an incredible debut season at this level. They finished runners-up in the league, one point behind champions Broughton, and have reached the prestigious Hampshire Saturday Trophy final (to be played next Tuesday) as well as this final, having beaten Common on penalties along the way. To reach this final they have beaten Senior Division teams Meon Milton and Harvest. There is another cup final involving our teams on Saturday - the Aldershot Intermediate Cup Final, between Division One Rushmoor Community and Senior Division Whitehill & Bordon. There are also some league games taking place - two in the Senior Division Harvest play Hook, with the hosts assured of a top ten place if they win, and Andover Town, who need to win both their remaining games to finish fourth, entertain last year's champions Liphook United. In Division One, fourth-placed Hedge End Town host Headley United, who will finish ninth if they get at least a point. Results, details, photos, etc. will be in the Hog Post, which will be published in the second half of next week.

This is a preview for both coming Saturday (26th) and the following midweek (29th-30th) as we reach the tail end of the season. We still have some important games left to play. In the Senior Division both Liss Athletic and Andover Town still have several games remaining and could still finish second or third with a good run. At the weekend Liss are at home in a big local derby at Liphook United. The return fixture is on the following Wednesday. Andover Town are at Denmead, and host Hook on the Tuesday. TABLES Champions Colden Common are at Hedge End Rangers, currently fifth. Fourth-bottom Whitehill & Bordon host Hook on Saturday and travel to Stockbridge on Wednesday. With a good run Bordon could finish mid-table, but they have a tough run-in. RESULTS The match of the day at the weekend is definitely in Division One , as Overton United host Crofton Saints. Anything other than a win for Saints will hand Broughton the title. If Overton win they will clinch second place. If Saints win, then another victory in their final game, at home to Whiteley, would give them the title. FIXTURES Third-bottom Mob Albion host mid-table Rushmoor Community. QK Southampton finish their programme with two home games; on Saturday they are at home to Headley United, on tuesday they play AFC Netley.

This preview will attempt to cover all matches of the ever-crucial Easter weekend, although of course what happens on the Saturday might affect what happens on the following Monday. In the Senior Division, leaders Colden Common require five points (possibly four, thanks to their goal difference) from their remaining four games to clinch the title. On Saturday they have a trip to Denmead. There are two teams who could still catch Common, if they win all of their last six games and Common slip up; Liss Athletic have a tricky trip to Whitehill & Bordon on Saturday, and Andover Town, strangely, have no games over the Easter period. But there is a massive game on Monday as Common host Liss. Defeat for the visitors would see their title chances disappear. TABLE Hook, currently in seventh, are not in great form, but with five games still to play, could also challenge for at least a top five place, but they have some tough games to come; one, on Saturday, is a trip to Locks Heath , who are back in second after a midweek win; and then, on Monday, they host Stockbridge. Liphook United still have six games to play and have a decent chance of finishing as high as ninth, they have two games this long weekend, both at home, where they play Moneyfields Res and then Harvest. RESULTS Whitehill & Bordon have seven games remaining and again could be aiming for that ninth spot, in addition to Saturday's home game against Liss they also welcome Harvest to the Daly on Monday. Paulsgrove play their last game and could climb off the bottom if they beat Stockbridge on Saturday. Sway are currently a point ahead of the Grove with a much better goal difference, but their last game is at Liss on 3rd May. FIXTURES In Division One , Broughton have completed their league games and are guaranteed at least a top two spot. Their last game this season is the North Hampshire Intermediate Cup final against Silchester Village on Tuesday. The only team who can catch them in the league, Crofton Saints, have to win all of their four remaining games to pip them to the title, and have two of those at the weekend; Saturday sees a potentially tough trip to AFC Netley, and on Monday they host QK Southampton. At the bottom, Whiteley Wanderers must win at their last two games by good margins, starting at home to Headley United on Monday, to have any chance of avoiding a bottom two place. Bottom side Twentyten host Hedge End Town, already assured of finishing fourth for the second season running, on Saturday. Written by: Paul Harris Image by: @vi_shooter