Peter Raynbird Reviews league matches played on 19th December 2015

Division One

With all clubs taking a two week break for Christmas, it is Hook FC who will go into the New Year heading the Division One table by six clear points following their 1-0 win against Twentyten FC at home. They also still have an interest in all four cup competitions, the Hampshire Junior ‘A’ Cup, the Basingstoke Junior ‘A’ Cup, The North Hants May Cup and The Peter Raynbird Cup.

It was far from easy for Hook against Alan Spacagna’s youngsters in thie league fixture, in fact, on chances the opposition had more, hitting the post and having two cleared off the line. It is however goals that count and the one that proved a match winner came in the 23rd minute. Aaron King was brought down on the edge of the penalty area, took the free kick himself and curled it round the wall, his fifteenth of the season. A couple of good saves from keeper Jack Nicholson stopped Andy Parker increasing the lead, but Greg Archer in the Hook goal played his part in keeping the slender lead.

Tadley Calleva FC ‘A’ retain second spot after beating Overton United FC ‘A’ at Berrydown 4-1, with all four goal put away by in form hitman Kyle Theodore, taking his tally to twenty-five already. The opening goal came when Overton’s Jesse Todd chased a poor back pass from Dan Walkley, it took a bobble and he beat keeper Greg Harper to put the home side ahead after 20 minutes. Ten minutes later Stephen Burgess sent over a good cross for Theodore to net his first and before the break Burgess found Theodore again and after beating the last defender he put his side ahead. Two minutes into the second half Tadley increased their lead. Theodore chasing a long ball over the top from Walkley to score his hattrick. His final goal came with 30 minutes to play, this time a solo effort. Overton did have their chances, hitting the bar and having a certain goal cleared off the line by Walkley.

Basingstoke Labour Club FC, now back at full strength against Hampshire Irons FC, came good after two defeats to win 4-1. It was Paul Gadsten who stole the show for them this week, scoring two of the four and before this game he had only found the net once before (in their 6-1 cup win against Broughton in October). Gadsten gave them the lead in the 21st minute after a free kick taken by Rylan Willows found him in the box and after Ben Woods equalized early in the second half, it was Gadsten who restored the lead, against the run of play, with a well placed 18 yards shot. Irons faded after this with Matt Kelly picking up a long ball from Nat Reid, rounding the keeper and making it 3-1. Cameron George returned to the team and took a pass from Kelly to net his 22nd of the season.

Division Two

It is Tron FC taking over from Herriard Sports FC at the top of the Division Two table, a likely position which they will retain for the rest of the campaign with the talented array of signings that manager Darren Hutchins has assembled during the season. Against lowly placed AFC Berg he was down to the bare bones due to Christmas commitments, with eight regulars missing and no substitutes. However they still managed to win 5-3 in the end, but as the game went on injuries began to mount and a late rally from Berg gave them a fright. Tron’s latest goalkeeper is Adam Aimable, once on Basingstoke Town’s books as a defender, but after just five minutes striker Richard McCoubrie received an injury and could not continue on pitch, with no replacements, he played the rest of the game in goal with Aimable going upfront. Aimable was to prove a useful addition as a striker, for after Ross Harwood had given Tron a 15th minute lead, it was Aimable scoring twice to put the home side 3-0 ahead, the first from a penalty after a Stuart Austen shot was handled and he then beat keeper Simon Edwards from a Hutchins cross for a 3-0 interval lead. Edwards then fumbled a 30 yard shot from Harwood into the net for the fourth and it became 5-0 when good play by Sam Nicholls and Austen led to new signing Mikey Thomas scoring. Both Jamie Ballantyne and Austen would have gone off injured if Tron had any substitutes available, but instead both finished the game limping as Berg cashed in for the final 15 minutes. Leo Pedro scoring twice and Nick Tucker the third. Tron remain unbeaten, going into 2016 unbeaten, their one slip was being held to a 1-1 draw with Basingstoke United in the opening game of the season. They also have a big chance of silverware, as they remain in all four cup competitions that they entered.

After two defeats in a row, Overton United FC ‘B’ keep in touch with the league’s front runners and they are just a point adrift of the leaders after beating the useful Basingstoke United FC 4-1 at Brighton Hill. Grant Smart brought down Joe Holder in the 25th minute and Kyle Buckland scored from the spot for Overton to lead. In the 56th a half volley from Kieran Chard saw Overton two goals ahead, but the home side always looked capable of coming back and following good play by the talented Gus Reis, Tom Hartley reduced the arrears. Buckland soon made it 3-1, a neat dummy and chip from a Chard pass and Overton then brought on substitute Rob Perrett who has made just five previous appearances, but netted nine goals and he took a pass from Chard to score the fourth.
Bounty United FC managed a 3-2 win against TDI Group FC on a very muddy Castle Field pitch. Mitchell Stokes beat the offside trap to give Bounty a 20th minute lead. Back came TDI when their Player/Manager Graham Jenkins put away a cross from James Brown to level This was in the 30th minute, but just before half time a ball from Andy Darmody deflected off Mike Gilham for Jordan Willis to find the net. In the second half Brown shot wide and Richard Budd forced a very good save from Bounty’s keeper Richie Vinn, but in the 65th Bounty scored again. Gilham played through to Stokes; his shot looked to have been saved by Russ Hancock, but the muddy ball slipped through his hands and over the line. TDI came back strongly for the final stages and two minutes from time Jack Kennedy was on the end of a Jenkins cross to net, but no dramatic end came for them.