Basingstoke & District League Match Reports from Saturday 9th September, By Peter Raynbird.

Division One
It was always thought Twentyten and Hook would be strong contenders for the Division One Champions ship and it proved so when the two met so early in the season and fought out a 2-2 draw at Preston Candover The start was delayed for 20 minutes as thunder and lightning was very active around the Candovers. It was all Hook in the opening stages and they took the lead when Dan Mauridian went on a strong run and Tom Davies put away his centre. Harry Nash made two good saves before his side levelled the scores. Jack Clarke took on two men and found the head of Jake Tanner, his first effort was saved, but he made no mistake from the rebound. Hook hit back before half time to regain the lead through Mauridian. Twentyten had a better second half and after Christian Cox and Tanner missed chances they managed to score the equaliser on the hour when Ryan Lupton picked up a chip from Craig Atkinson and tucked away the chance. Tanner did head against the post in the last minute, but in the end they had to be content with a point.
It is not a good start fro Tadley Caleva A, losing again when visitors promoted Herriard Sport defeated them 2-1. Manager Bradley Nash felt they played well but could not take their chances. They took a 20th minute lead when Jack Jones took advantage of an error at the back handed him the opportunity. Cameron Sweeney was handed a great chance but headed over the bar and Peter White also should have done better with his header. It was ace Herriard striker Chris Dobbie who did find the net before the break after taking a good ball from Adam Francis It was in the 53rd minute when Herriard went in front. Dobbie hit a long ball up field and Alex Roberts made a 60 yard run to meet it and finished in style. Michael Abbott and Jones had chances, both ended up over the bar and even the introduction of top goal scorer Kye Theodore failed to get the equaliser with keeper Keith Dickens and centre backs Jason Minton and John Gould in good form.
Winklebury Wizards are yet to get off the mark, beaten this week 2-0 by Overton United A. The opener came in the 12th minute when George Lagden brought down Steve Bonner in the box and Jamie Smith put away the resulting penalty kick. .It was Bonner involved in the second. His 40 yard pass was met with a diving header from Armond Ince from ten yards out. Wizards lacked quality, although Jack Arthur and Rich Lowther might have taken advantage of their half chances.
Bounty United lost again, beaten this week at Castle Fields 5-3 by AFC Aldermaston Reserves who take over top spot in the table. It was two apiece for Adam Perrett and Reece Barrett, with the fifth from Ricky Waknell. No details on Bounty.
Division Two
Sherborne Saints shares top spot in Division Two with AFC Berg after both had convincing wins. Saints are top on goal difference after beating Chineham away 5-2. A corner taken by Warren Hill was deflected in for an own goal early in the game and Liam Doran made it 2-0 from a Matt Livingstone cross. Lewis Trodd added another and then played through for Pawal Derbot to give them a 4-0 lead. Tim Manson pulled a goal back for Chineham after his first shot hit the post, but Derbot made it five by the 50th minute.
Chineham brought on substitute Tommy Collingridge and seemed to improve after he netted a cross from Richie Smith, who later shot wide and had a good effort bloc ked on the line, but nothing to show for their efforts.
AFC Berg proved too strong for Origin Headley and took a fifth minute lead through Kieran Alleyne. It soon became 2-0 with Louis Vickery found the net. Origin came back with a goal from Simon Vosper by half time. Berg got well on top in the second half when Vickery scored his second, Harry Rudge made it four and substitute Lee Neal added a fifth.
Fancied Basingstoke Athletic could only draw again,, this week they could only manage a draw 1-1 with Basingstoke Colts. Colts captain Benito Oprea, who scored all four for Colts in their opening game, again proved a handful and difficult for the Athletic defence. It was his shot five minutes later that was beaten out by the keeper Dave Purt, who made plenty of saves throughout and Luke Radcliffe followed up to net.
Trevor Craig, the Colts manager, who has brought these youngsters up from the Boys League was very disappointed not to have won all three points. The oldest player we have is only 21 and I felt they played really well and only their keeper saved them from defeat. In the final ten minutes when we really pressed, three one one on one’s fell to Joe Kiff, Ratcliffe and Bentica, all unable to convert, he said. .
Newcomers Somesay had a comfortable 5-2 win over Longdog Soldiers in the end. Connor Stratton gave them a fifteen minutes lead, but Sam Trodd’s deflected shot made it all square, but again Soldiers replied through Tom Perry. Hayden Chalker equalized and with Soldiers having injury problems and no substitutes, Somesay got on top. Chalker made it 3-2,, a header from Luke Gore and in the 88th Harry Knapp made sure on the three points...