Basingstoke & District Saturday League Match Reports

It was a restricted programmed on Saturday when both of the matches due to be played at Aldermaston were called off due to waterlogged pitches. One of these was the Basingstoke A Cup Quarter Final between AFC Aldermaston Reserves and D.C.U.K. This will now be played next month. One of the other Quarter Finals between Basingstoke Royals and Hook was transferred from Bramley, where the pitch was unfit, to the King George V Playing Field in Hook and it resulted in a 3-1 win for Hook, the current holders.

Andy Parker lobbed over the Royals keeper Nick Willcock in the 25th minute for the lead, but just before the interval Karl Perkins brought down Stephen Price in the box and Craig Barker converted the penalty to see them level. In the 65th minute Ama Bhuller looked to have put Royals ahead, but a superb save from keeper Humphrey Sims kept it out. Willcock pulled off a fine save from a Dan Mellors free kick, but in the 70th minute a corner taken by Mellors was headed past him by James Westwood. It was Mellors who saw them through to the last four when he put away a cross from Parker three minutes from time.

Basingstoke B Cup Quarter Finals

Three of the four Basingstoke B Cup Quarter Finals managed to play, the exception being the AFC Aldermaston A versus Winklebury Wizards, again this is re -scheduled for next month. Herriard Sports, the current Division Two leaders met Twentyten Reserves, an easy looking tie on paper, but although they had a fight on their hands from the start, they finished 2-0 winners.. These two met in a league match on the opening day of the season when it ended 9-1 in their favour, but this time they could have been two goals down in the opening five minutes. Dan Hancock fired over the bar from 6 yards out and Franklin Spacagna missed a chance from close in. Chris Dobbie hit the bar for Herriard in a close first half and it took them until the 51st minute to go ahead. Craig Hine with a corner kick and Dobbie rose high to head home and it was another corner, this time from Simon Jane Sam Cato’s header proved too good for the helpless keeper Sam Morgan. Although Dobbie hit the post from a free kick, Twentyten Manager Graham Jenkins felt his much improved side deserved something for their efforts.

Basingstoke Labour Club won 8-1 against bottom of the table Origin, with four of the goals scored by Matt Kelly, making it twelve for the season in six matches. It took them eight minutes to open their account, Kelly from a Wayne Barlow cross and it was Barlow with the corner kick for Louis Chambers to head home the second. Barlow then scored following a Josh Dickens corner for 3-0 lead. Origin then hit back with a goal from Karl Holbrough, who cut in and his finish found the far corner of the net, but just before half time Kelly netted his second from a Jack Barlow cross. Aaron Johns came on as substitute .and soon made it 5-1 and now proving the fitter side; Kelly completed his hat trick and added another before Josh Dickens found the top corner from a Kelly assist.

The AFC Berg manager Dave Brickwood has strengthened his squad recently and two of the newcomers contributed to this comfortable 7-2 cup in against Longdog Soldiers. One of them was Mason Saunders who scored twice in the opening 20 minutes and Jack Hodge made it 3-0 by the break. Although Terry Dingley pulled a goal back at 5-1 and Louis Purcell their second, another of Berg’s new signings is Lee Neil contributed with three and Carlos Gonzalez scored the seventh.

Division Two

The one league match was in Division Two at the Everest School where visitors Overton United B won 11-0 and move into third spot in the table. Andy Barfoot opened the scoring in the 10th minute and after Wat Jones made it 2-0 in the 15th, Barfoot netted his second and by half time they were five ahead, Armand Ince after a solo run and Jones netted his second. Little was seen of the Chineham attack, although Ben Cronin did hit the post for them. Ewan Westwood added another in the 47th from a penalty and as the all weather pitch was to their liking, Scotty Winterborne, helped himself to a brace, Jones completed his hat trick and singles from Josh Smith and Jacob Burrows completed the rout.