Basingstoke & District League Handbook
Basingstoke & District League Handbook
30/08/24
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Basingstoke & District League Match Reports from Sunday 10th March, By Tony Spencer.
The windy weather affected the first half badly in the Division 1 game between Brookvale United and Tadley Tigers on Sunday writes Tony Spencer, and the visitors, who were favourites with a run of four victories under their elastic, took an early lead through Thomas Etheridge. After 25 minutes 'Vale skipper Tommy L’Heureux brilliantly found Adam Aimable unmarked, who controlled, turned and dispatched beautifully low and hard to level 1-1. On 40 minutes Aimable won a spot kick which he coolly converted to put 'Vale in the driving seat before half-time. After 50 minutes Tadley were down to 10 men for a bad tackle on returning United centre half Jack Martin. Aimable had two goals disallowed for offside before Tadley equalised on 80 minutes thanks to substitute Danny Tompkins. Three minutes into injury time, and with the very last kick of the game, a goal mouth scramble bounced high to top scorer Aimable, who superbly kept down his volley and despite an attempted handball on the line, found the net for his 17th of the season and another hat-trick, prompting wild celebrations leading to the striker's booking. A fantastic and unexpected win for newly-founded Brookvale, which takes them to sixth in the table, their third win in a row.
Eastrop Eagles entered the game away at Hampshire Irons looking for their first league win of the season, after a discouraging run of no wins in five games. With strong wind conditions both teams struggled to get a hold on the game but Eastrop found an opening. Ben Evans outpaced Irons' fullback, drilling a cross into the box for an Irons' defender to turn into his own net. Eagles doubled their advantage in the second half when Tom Green turned the Irons' defence inside out before producing a sublime finish off the inside the post. Green increased Eagles' lead soon after when veteran Wes Bush rolled back the years powering down the wing before Green rolled the ball into the corner past the helpless keeper. Irons pulled back a consolation goal when a wind-assisted lump forward bounced a couple of times before an Irons' forward squeezed it into the net. The Eagles' keeper pulled off a great point blank save which turned into a great counter attack, through some brilliantly fluid team passing, ending with Kirk Smith sending the keeper the wrong way, putting Eagles 1-4 up. Eagles left the best 'til last, with Green turned provider, floating a freekick to the back post where Bobbi Frost fired a vicious volley into the top corner to complete the 1-5 score line and Eastrop’ s first league win this season.
Another weekend of blustery conditions saw Team FC pick up another well-deserved three points at Soldiers Return. James Tennant grabbed the first after latching onto a fine ball over the top and lobbed the keeper with the outside of his boot. Soldiers replied with a fine header by Stuart Cubbage. Team went 1-2 up with Ali Elkaloush finding the bottom corner. Tennant turned provider, finding Ash Williams with a lovely ball, topped by a neat finish from 6 yards. Team added a fourth after a fine counter attack, Hope free on the right wing to slot Tennant in for an open goal.
Vienna Suttoners beat Republic of Chineham 2-1 at Kinson Park, Bournemouth, in the Hampshire Sunday Intermediate Cup semi-final, thus ending the possibility of two local sides in the final. Vienna Suttoners are on an 11-game winning streak. They will face Soldiers Return in the final, date and venue to be decided.
Laarsens controlled their Bernard Cornish Cup semi-final at Kempshott from the word go, playing some great football in a goalless first half, although coming close through George Lagden and Dan Bloma. The chance of the half was Bloma on the end of a Matty Buckle cross but somehow steered the effort over the bar from a yard out. Laarsens made their breakthrough in the second half after Myles Englefield was brought down in the box by the Kempshott keeper. Bloma smashed home the penalty. Bloma doubled the score following a great ball from Buckle. Laarsens wrapped up the win with George Lagden grabbing a well-deserved goal 0-3 from a Cian Condon pass, their sixth straight win. They will meet either New Park Rangers or Chineham Cavaliers in the Final.
Chineham Reserves and Basingstoke Saints shared the Division 2 points in a 2-2 draw. This was Chineham's seventh unbeaten game in a row, and Saints' third draw in a row.
Shallow End drew 1-1 with AFC Basing, with Adam Gough netting for Basing, extending the visitors' progress to a three-game unbeaten run.