The interest the Basingstoke Saturday League clubs had in the Hampshire Cups disappeared

When Sherborne St John were beaten by Andover League club Kingsclere in the Hampshire A Cup and Basingstoke Athletic went down against Aldershot League side Hartley Wintney A in the Hampshire Junior B Cup. Sherborne must be kicking themselves for being knocked out beaten 4-3, as they were leading 3-1 at half time. Manager Trevor Livingstone was with seven of his regular squad, including keeper Dave Poynton and he was forced to play his son striker Matt, a striker, between the sticks. Rory Hatherall chased a long ball out of defence in the 15th minute and lobbed the keeper from 20 yards out and although Kingsclere drew level, Alex Izzo restored their lead after the keeper mishandled a cross from Ash Pirie and when Mike Shillingford put Pirie through with another long ball over the top, they crossed over with the 3-1 lead. Into the second half and Izzo broke through again only this time failed to finish when another goal would surely put this tie to bed. Kingsclere then began to get on top and gradually wore down the Sherborne defence, depleted to ten men through injury, and snatched the winner five minutes from time.
The Quarter Final of this Hampshire Junior B Cup was switched to Hartley Wintney, as it had been postponed the previous two weeks and Basingstoke Athletic crashed out, beaten 4-3 by the “A” Athletic were never at the races and were trailing 2-0 at the break and although the third soon after half time was controversial, as they claimed the ball did not cross the line, it soon became 4-0. The comeback started when they were awarded a penalty, put away by Nathan Read and then Matt Button made it 4-2. Dale Bristow was off target with a couple of chances and although they pressed, the third from Matt Stillwell came too late so it was exit for the last Basingstoke hope.

Tadley Calleva A could not repeat the form that took them through to the Semi Finals of the North Hants Intermediate Cup when they beat Basingstoke Royals 8-4 and made their exit when beaten 2-1 by Overton United Reserves away. They did however take the lead through Stephen Burgess, only for Darryl Taylor to equalize and in the second half Ross Soper-Dyer came up with the winner to see them through to the Final against Broughton who beat Andover Lions 3-1.

In the North Hants May Cup there will be two Basingstoke clubs in the Semi Finals,
Hampshire Irons and Twentyten. It was really the Chris Dobbie show as the big striker scored a hat trick and had a hand in two of the others as they beat Herriard 6-0 at Brighton Hill. It was Alex Brown with the opener after a flick on header from Dobbie early in the game and Dobbie put away a Craig Hopper pass for the second in the 17th minute. Dobbie scored the third from a free kick and then completed his first half hat trick from a Gavin Curry cross. Brown added a fifth after a one two with Dobbie and the sixth was scored by John Arnold with another assist from Dobbie. Irons will not play Baughurst in the Semi Finals. Twentyten had much moiré difficult task to get into the Semi Finals as they traveled to Andover to face AFC Wolversdene, returning 4-3 winners. They took a tenth minute lead from a well struck free kick over the wall from Joe Hill and Jordon Wainwright made it 2-0. The Andover side replied with three quick goals by the break, but with the slope in their favour. Twentyten soon recovered with Christian Cox heading home a Joe Osborne corner to level in the 65th and remaining in
control the winner came with fifteen left when a good ball from Adam Elsgood led to Osborne finishing well. Manager Alan Spacagna is pleased to have home draw in the Semi Finals against Andover New Street Swifts. On the down side Bounty United current leaders in Division Two, were beaten 2-0 by Baughurst who now operate in the Reading League. In the 18th minute Mitchell Stokes was pushed in the back and a penalty was awarded, it was taken by Bounty leading scorer Matt Love, who blazed it high and wide. The Bounty back line was then caught out by two breakaways and trailed 2-0 at the break. In the second half Stokes shot wide with a couple of not easy chances, but when Matt Love went off with a groin strain, the attacks dried up and Baughurst held their lead. Also going out was Basingstoke United, beaten 5-3 on their visit to New Street Swifts in Andover. They found themselves two goals down in the opening 16 minutes, but came back strongly to level following a header by Tyler Weiss from an Ash Pearce corner and then Tom Hartley equalized in the 30th. Swifts were awarded a penalty, well saved by James Sallows, but they came again to lead in the 37th minute. United came back strongly to go in at half time on level terms when Hartley scored his second. The very poor heavy pitch made things difficult as it cut up and United conceded in the 70th and again in the 85th.

In the North Hants Junior Cup Overton United A are through to the Semi Finals where they have been drawn away to either Hook Reserves or North Warnborough after beating Broughton Reserves 3-1 at Berrydown. It was Broughton with the opener, a lead they held until into the second half. Nathan Bennis then equalized and Charlie Palmer gave them the lead soon after. The third that finally sunk Broughton came again from Bennis The other Quarter Final tie between Hook Reserves and North Warnborough was postponed and will try again this Saturday.. The other Semi Final spot will played this week when Kingsclere are home to Sutton Scotney, with the winners drawn against Kings Somborne.