WEEKEND ROUND-UP - APRIL 9
This weekend saw main focus at the top of the Senior Division with Moneyfields Reserves edging closer to the title.
Moneys won 3-1 at Sway, and will be champions with victory in their remaining two. Fifth-placed Colden Common still have an outside shout with five remaining - they drew 0-0 at home to third-placed Fleetlands.
Locks Heath draw level in third, winning 2-0 against Chamberlayne Athletic - who are now confirmed as second-bottom.
Stockbridge lost 1-3 at Paulsgrove and are in danger of not making the top five, which the Robins need to maintain their promotion interests. Further down the table, Liss Athletic won 4-1 at Overton United to secure their Senior Division status in both side's final game - Overton having done likewise with a 3-0 home triumph over Sway in midweek.
Basement side, Lyndhurst shipped eight at a rampant Winchester Castle. The New Forest outfit no doubt keen to put this campaign behind them and re-group after their last fixture at Liphook, at the end of the month.
JUST CHAMPION: Division One South East champions, QK Southampton line-up for the camera with the cup.
There were another couple of games in Division 1 South East, where champions QK Southampton (pictured main, and above) had a good 3-1 win at Whiteley Wanderers, who finish fourth, and Meon Milton drew 1-1 at home to Michelmersh and Timsbury – the two sides meet in the reverse to end both their campaigns on April 30 - Meon with another four to go prior to that date.
The L4 Challenge Cup saw two semi-finalists confirmed after big home wins – Harvest beat Whitehill and Bordon 5-0 after a close first leg, and Upham scored eleven against Clarendon to march on.
A first leg match saw Hook notch a 2-0 home win over Broughton. Our man on the spot writes:
Hook welcomed Broughton to the 3G pitch at Robert May’s school for this first leg of the L4 Cup quarter final. Hook looked very much at home on the artificial surface in the early exchanges and took the lead on 11 minutes. Centre back Harry Patton brought the ball out from the halfway line, fed Josh James, and his reverse pass to Ricky Stephens allowed the wide man a shot on goal.
Zachariah Moss in the visitors’ goal was completely beaten by Stephens’ swerving effort that went in off the far post. Moss made a couple of decent saves as Hook dominated chances. He was beaten for a second time in the 25th minute. James found the ball at his feet on the edge of the area and showed Moss ‘the eyes’ leaving the keeper flat-footed and stroked the ball home for a 2-0 lead.
Broughton were relying on the long ball, whilst Hook favoured a more possession based approach, but despite creating chances they failed to capitalise on their opportunities. The visitors lost Moss to a hand injury before the hour and replacement Potter made some fine, if unconventional, saves.
Broughton were getting more chances on the break, and Sam Lovelock in Hook’s goal made a good stop when one v one with Josh Barnes. The visitors’ midfielder Josh Evans was seeing a lot of the ball and doing their best work, but it was Hook that take a two goal lead into the second leg next week.
They will feel they were value for a bigger advantage, but the tie is far from over before the visit to Broughton’s wide open spaces.
