Basingstoke & District League Handbook
Basingstoke & District League Handbook
30/08/24
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With the Basingstoke & Dean Council calling off all matches on their pitches on the Friday, just six survived.
The outstanding Hampshire A Cup tie on the IOW between Ryde Saints and Basingstoke Royals was one and unfortunately it was the same outcome as the previous week when Bramley United came home beaten in a penalty shootout, this week Royals failing 3-1 after a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes. In the very windy conditions Royals took a 30th minute lead through Matty Dean, but just before half tome Ryde equalized. There was a let off for Royals when the home side skied a penalty kick over the bar, but in the 60th minute after Royals had plenty of the ball, Ryde took the lead. Royals came back strongly and in the 80th. minute they Royals drew level when a free kick taken by Scott Harvey was parried by the keeper and Steve Stansbridge followed up to net. In a disastrous penalty shootout Steve Price scored for Royals, but Ryan Tubb saw his spot kick saved, Matt Dean shot over the bar and Steve Harvey hit the post, while Ryde missed just the one. The other Hampshire A Cup tie at Sherborne St John where Kingsclere were due to visit, was called off late on Saturday morning due to surface water on he pitch, and this means as this is the second time this match has been postponed, it is switched to the Fieldgate Centre in Kingsclere. As the Hampshire B Cup Quarter Final tie between Basingstoke Athletic and Hartley Wintney A was also postponed, it will now be played at Hartley Wintney this coming Saturday.
Despite suffering double figure defeats in six of their matches this season, Welly Old Boys offered their pitch at Newfound to play Rising Sun DC , rather than postpone when the Sherborne Road pitch was ruled unfit for their away Premier Division match and it brought another big defeat, 17-0 this week. Graham Jenkins, who is keeping this club going and is hoping to see out the season, said the players we have are mostly youngsters, but are still keen to keep going, however following the transfer of Gavin Alexander to Winklebury Wizards in December, they are without a proper goal keeper and if there is anyone who fancies joining him, they should ring 01256397770 or mobile 07768091896. For the record Lee Chambers netted five, taking his tally for the season to twenty. There was a hat trick for Joe Harris, two apiece for Shaun Searle, Ben Vine and Micky Thomas and singles for Stuart Austen, Ben Nicholls and Richard Kalwarleyk.
The Division One match between Hook Reserves and Overton United A took place with the visitors winning 5-1 to remain top of the table. This was the first of the three matches clubs in the Premier and Division One clubs has to play following the decision by the Saturday Section Committee to give clubs enough matches to see out the season. The result was the same in the other two when they have met, with the points going to Overton. Siyanni Thomas gave Overton an early lead after a shot by Nathan Bennis was parried by the keeper in the fifth minute, but Hook replied through Jack McKee who then missed a great chance to lead soon after. It was however Overton who went in at the break with the lead when Jesse Todd fired home after being put through by John Gurney
Bennis scored the third and Todd made it 4-1 after being set up by John Sayers. Overton remained on top with Thomas coming up with his second after more good play from Bennis.
Three of the five scheduled matches in Division Two were played. Preston Candover had only lost one league game this season, but Herriard Sports surprised them by winning 2-0 at Preston. It is not the first time this season they have caused an upset, for they knocked the high flying Basingstoke Athletic out of the North Hants May Cup to earn a place in the Quarter Finals this Saturday and also defeated Labour Club 5-0 in the same competition, another good result. Their league form has not been so good, but they found it at Preston when Sam Weber dribbled past four men to give them a 13th minute lead and in the 18th came the second when a shot from Weber was parried by former Herriard keeper Dean Elsgood and Wayne Rowland followed up to score. Weber then later hit the bar. With Jake Burrows keeping a firm grip on danger man Kyle Buckland, The Preston attack was were restricted to few shots on target, dealt with capably by John Hamill in the Herriard goal. . Bounty United retain their one point lead at the top of the table after beating Overton United B 9-1 at Berrydown. Strangely the first half was goalless, with Overton hitting the bar through Darren White and Richard Vinn pulling off a good save from a Matt Bonner effort. It was in the 50th minute when Bounty took the lead, a header by Matt Love from a Mitchell Stokes corner kick. Stokes scored the second and went on to complete his hat trick and also scoring two more was top scorer Love. At 6-0 Overton came up their goal, scored by Liam Randall, a 16 year old, coming up from Boys football. The other Bounty goals came from Jordon Willis, a header from a Phil Case cross, a 30 yard run and finish from Craig Williamson and substitute Aaron Parfitt with his first touch. It was a tight game at Aldermaston where Basingstoke United managed to win 2-1 against the A team. Aldermaston brought on substitute Paul Mellor early and it was his goal in the 30th minute from a Tony Johnson assist that saw them leading at the break, although Dan Southgate did clip the bar with keeper Gary Bone beaten. In the 55th United drew level when an over the top ball from Cullum Silcox was not dealt with and Ash Pearce equalized. It was Tom Hartley who came up with the winner after being put through by Southgate.