Basingstoke & District League Match Reports from Sunday 24th March, By Tony Spencer.

In the Kelvin Cup semi-finals, both of our in-form sides failed to score against their Winchester and Andover opposition on Sunday, writes Tony Spencer, thus losing out on reaching the Final, for the second time in the last three seasons, which shows the determination of outside teams wanting to do well in this invitational competition. Tadley Tigers lost 0-3 against visitors Mucky Duck, and Tidworth Town were too strong on home turf, continuing their 21-match winning run by inflicting a 5-0 drubbing on Republic of Chineham.

In Division 1, bottom side Eastrop Eagles surprised their visitors North Warnborough by taking a 2-0 lead in the first half, The game wasn't long in when Eagles winger Tom Green hit a cross come shot which evaded the opposition keeper and nestled in the top corner. Eagles dominated the rest of the half with a mixture of great defending and quick passing. The passing proved to pay dividends when Kirk Smith was played through to hit a rasping strike from outside the box giving the North Warnborough keeper déjà vu as it also evaded him to find the same spot as Eagle's first strike, 2-0. Eagles continued to take the game to their opponents and could have been further ahead after hitting the woodwork twice in the first half. It wasn't until the second half when Lewis Mitchell played an intricate one-two with Nathan Bennis before rounding the keeper to put Eastrop 3-0 up. Eagles temporarily lost concentration and, following an attempt to walk the ball out of their own defence, they lost possession and conceded, Tom Davies making it 3-1, in what turned out to be merely a consolation goal for Boro. After weathering a momentary storm of possession from North Warnborough, who were now pushing extra players forward, Eagles restored their three-goal cushion. Eagles' striker Nathan Bennis chased down a nothing ball only for the keeper to lose sight of it, allowing Bennis to sit down the defender who had covered back and put Eagles 4-1 up, a moment the keeper will want to forget in a hurry! The game was rounded off when Bobbi Frost expertly picked out Lee Bush, who coolly tucked away his first of the season and complete the 5-1 score line, their second 5-1 win in a run of two wins out of three, after waiting all season for their first win.

High-flying Team FC's hopes of challenging for the title took a set-back as they went down 0-3 at home to Soldiers Return. On target were Fred Cloke, Andrew Darmody and Adam Gibson.

Division 2 leaders Camrose Social enjoyed a 0-4 win at AFC Basing, with goals from Ben Woods, Matthew Foreman and a George Martin brace.

Meanwhile, title challengers New Park Rangers missed a couple of chances in a goalless first half at Chineham Reserves by Jonathan Ray and Tom Starbuck. Five minutes into the second half, a defensive mix-up cost New Park a goal and they never got going after that and conceded a second from a corner over the defensive and Chineham made it 2-0 with a tap in at the far post. New Park Rangers still have home fixtures against their title rivals and cannot afford another slip up.

AFC Laarsens took the lead, 20 minutes into their match at Basingstoke Saints, after a sloppy start by the hosts, allowing Jubril Borishade to deliver a beauty for the limping and injured George Lagden to make it 1-0. The lead was doubled when Dan Bloma dragged his shot and Lagden nabbed his second. Basingstoke Saints grabbed one back before half time with a mishit shot by Simon Grieves that looped into the top corner. Laarsens restored their two-goal lead when Bloma headed home from a teasing Dean Scott cross. The rest of the second half was quietly played out with the match in the bag, all except for a great strike from Bloma, who played a one-two with Danny Costen, and smashed home with his left foot from close range to complete his brace in the 1-4 win.

Overton United were beaten 0-4 by Chineham Cavaliers, revenge for a reverse result early in the season.