Basingstoke & District Saturday League Match Reports

It was another Saturday when the fixture programme was restricted to just four matches. It was due to frozen pitches when all three of the North Hants May Cup Quarter Finals were called off and just one league match survived.
Fortunately three of the North Hants Saturday Junior Cup ties managed to be completed, all in the Andover area.
Making it through to the |Semi Finals of the North Hants Junior Cup was Twentyten Reserves who won through by beating Sparten Vets 4-3 on penalties after drawing 1-1 in normal time. A new pitch in Andover was playable and Twentyten enjoyed much the better of the first half and after Franklin Spacagna fired a chance over the bar and Dan Hancock headed a good chance wide, they took the lead after 25 minutes. Spacagna played a one two with Hancock who netted from six yards out. Vets leveled before the break when Jack Barrett, in trying to clear his lines, sliced into his own goal. Although the visitors regained control and had the better of play, it ended 1-1 at full time. In the resulting penalty shootout, Jack Kennedy, Olly Lacey and Jack Barrett score the first three for Twentyten. Vets hit the post with their third, but keeper Jack Brown hit his penalty over the bar. Brown atoned by saving the next and to win the game Player/Manager Graham Jenkins stepped up and made no mistake with his well placed spot kick.
No such joy for AFC Aldermaston Reserves who to met Andover League club SPARTEN and were knocked out after losing their penalty shootout 5-3.. They conceded twice in the first half, but in the 60th minute James Edwards scored from a Ricky Waknell cross and remaining on top they equalized in the 85th minute. It came when a good ball over the top from Rio Francis was met with a lob from Waknell, it the post, but came back nicely for him to net the rebound. This meant a penalty shootout and although Ric Francis, Waknell and Rees Barrett converted, TWO WERE MISSED AND THE FIFTH FOR SPARTEN proved too good for keeper Kevin Butcher, so they made their exit.
Basingstoke Royals are the other club to make the last four, by beating CK Andover 3-2, but it came at the cost of losing their key man Craig Barker, sent off for descent and this will beat a three match suspension coming up. Royals went into a half time with a two goal lead after a cut back by Stephen Price was diverted into the net by Barker. In the 40th Scott Harvey headed home a cross from Cobi Judd and they looked comfortable. Ck came back with a goal in the 50th and it was twelve minutes later when Barker received his marching orders when following a nasty tackle on him, word to the referee followed he was sent off. Despite the disadvantage Royals extended their lead in the 70th minute when a shot from Price was saved, the ball rebounded out to Cobi Judd who had a simple tap in. Five minutes later the Andover side scored their second, but Royals saw out the remaining time without mishap.The remaining Quarter Final between Winklebury Wizards and AFC Berg will be played this coming Saturday.
In the Semi Finals Wizards or AFC Berg will play Twentyten Reserves and Royals will visit Sparten. These matches will be played on \Saturday 11th February.
Basingstoke Saturday League
Division Two
One of the six pitches at Brighton Hill was declared fit for play and Labour Club picked up three points by beating Origin 3-1 and so takes over second spot in the Division Two table. These two sides have already met twice this season and both have ended in heavy defeats for Dave Hawkins side, losing 12-1 in September and 8-1 in the Basingstoke B Cup. Newcomers Origin has improved since then and moved out of the bottom two following two good recent wins. They did well to hold Labour until the 55th minute, thanks to a good save by Hawkins in the 40th minute, but he had no chance when Matt Kelly ran onto a through ball from Paul Gadsden to give Labour the lead. There was a quick reply from Origin when Mark Bone caught keeper Adam Burriidge off his line with a lofted shot outside the box to level and Karl Holbrough then tested Burridge with a good effort It was Labour who came back strongly and scored in the 80th minute. A corner by Jack Barlow was half cleared to Ibrahian Waheed who found the net after a couple of attempted clearances. Mark Thorpe made sure of the points with a late third from another Gadsden assist.