Basingstoke & District Sunday League Match Reports from Sunday 5th March, By Tony Spencer.

Due to waterlogged pitches, all bar one game was postponed on Sunday, writes Tony Spencer. However, the pitch at North Warnborough was considered playable and the Reserves entertained visitors Rising Sun in a Division 3 league game .
The match was competitive to start with nothing between the sides for the first 15 minutes, with the hosts carving out a couple of chances not taken. The first goal came after 25 minutes from Ryan Thorpe, and ten minutes later he doubled the score to 2-0. Nial Day scored to make it 3-0 before Thorpe completed his hat-trick before half-time, 4-0 to North Warnborough Reserves.
Shortly after the restart, a penalty was awarded to Rising Sun, but keeper Michael Sewell pulled off a brilliant save to keep his clean sheet. Back came Reserves, playing some good passing play before Nial Day completed his brace on 5-0. More home pressure, continuing to play through a violent and chilly rainstorm, before Thorpe made it 6-0. After that killer blow, a further six goals followed without reply. North Warnborough Reserves running out 12-0 winners. Ryan Thorpe scored 8, Tom Lucas and Nial Day, both playing in midfield, scored braces. Commendably, Rising Sun continued to play throughout the game, never giving it up as a lost cause. This was the third time this season the two sides have met in league and cup, with Boro winning 6-0 and 6-1 in the other two encounters.
Despite the fixture list being wiped out this week, surprisingly few matches have been lost to weather this season, so only a few midweek matches are planned to complete the season.
Local sides have done well in Cup competitions, having reached the semi-finals of all three of the county cups: Tron FC in the Hampshire Senior Cup, Bramley United in the Junior A Cup and Overton United in the Junior B Cup.
In the North Hants cups, Affini Technology were knocked out at the semi-finals stage of the Senior Cup, but Bramley United will play Owlesbury in the Chris Price Cup and Soldiers Return Reserves and Team FC will battle it out in the final of the John Ward Cup.
Tron FC are still involved in the semi-final stages of both the Kelvin Cup and the Andover Presidents Cup.