Cup weekend is coming up - with the clocks having gone back, check kick-off times carefully!

In the Hampshire Saturday Trophy, our teams are heavily involved, with an interesting variety of opposition.

Thankfully there are no trips to the IOW for our teams this time, but we do have two home fixtures: Headley United have a tough task against West Wight, currently top of their league. Andover Town host Osborne Coburg in a battle of the two bottom teams in their respective divisions.

Liss Athletic, who ran Wessex League Petersfield close in the cup in midweek, have an interesting match-up at home to Hart United, who won the Aldershot League with a 100% record last season, and who now top the Surrey County Intermediate League.

FIXTURES

Whitehill & Bordon also have an interesting one, against Bournemouth Electric, now doing well in the Dorset Premier League, and who have had several notable battles in this competition with our teams in the past.

Sway have a tricky trip to Sporting Wessex of the Southampton League, who have already beaten BTC Southampton from our league this season.

We have a number of our teams facing U23/Development sides, which as we've said before are often unknown quantities. Just to remind you, though, Tadley Reserves won this competition last year; they face BTC next week.

Clanfield feature twice in our list of opposition: the Development team are at Broughton, and the Reserves host AFC Shirley, third in our Senior Division.

Division One side, AFC Netley hope to continue their good form against Millbrook U23, this is being played at Oasis Mayfield. Other U23 sides involved are Romsey Town, at home to in-form Div One side Hayling United, and Lymington, who travel to Stockbridge. Reserve teams include Eversley & California, at home to Whiteley Wanderers, and AFC Portchester, at Twentyten. 

There are some all-HPFL matches, coincidentally all Senior Division v Division One teams, so the chance of an upset or two...

Senior Division high-fliers Crofton Saints play their first game at Gosport, where they face Division 1 Mob Albion. A good game is in prospect at the Langstone, where Senior Division Southsea Sports host Div 1 leaders Overton United, who may fancy their chances, as may third-placed Division One team Silchester Village, who host Senior Division Meon Milton.

TABLES

Paulsgrove, bottom of Div 1, but who have done well in the cups so far, play Liphook United, third-bottom in the Senior Division, a team they beat on penalties in the League Cup earlier this season. Another interesting matchup is Nursling & Shirley, fourth in Div 1, at home to Hook, second in the Senior Division.

We also have three league games scheduled: two attractive ones in the Senior Division as leaders Locks Heath host seventh-placed Hedge End Rangers, and Denmead could go fifth if they beat Bishops Waltham Dynamos. 

In Division One Hedge End Town could go fifth of they beat Rushmoor Community, who are only a point below them.

Photo: Ian Grainger