Brockenhurst FC beat Bemerton Heath Harlequins to book Hampshire FA Senior Supplementary Cup final

Hampshire FA Senior Supplementary Cup semi-final

Brockenhurst FC 3
Bemerton Heath Harlequins FC 2

BROCKENHURST battled back from a goal down before twice taking the lead to defeat Bemerton Heath Harlequins 3-2 to secure a place in the Hampshire FA Senior Supplementary Cup final.

Bemerton's George Bennett buried an early penalty before Brock battled back with a brace from Silvano Obeng and a winning goal from James Shorey booking a New Forest Derby final against Ringwood Town.

The match was played in front of fans for the first time since the restart, and it was an open contest with both sides looking to score.

The hosts almost secured an early lead with a lethal counter-attack after the defence cleared a corner, and the Badgers swarmed forwards in a flowing move that resulted in the ball deflecting off the left post.

With 12 minutes gone, referee Harry Redman awarded Bemerton a penalty after a coming-together in the box. Keeper James Mayo dived the correct way, but Bennett did well stroking the ball into the side of the net.

The hosts hit back when lethal new signing Obeng took the ball with his back to goal before spinning on a sixpence and firing across Paddy Creese, who could only stand and watch as the ball flew into the roof of his net.

Six minutes later, Obeng blasted the Badgers into the lead for the first time, punishing a Bemerton defensive error to score through a crowded penalty area from 12 yards out.

Bemerton flew out of the blocks at the restart trying to level the match, and only two remarkable saves from Mayo preserved the lead. However, his heroics could not last forever, and Ronan Clancy found the corner of the net to make it 2-2.

Bemerton had the ball in the back of the net early in the second half, but the linesman's raised flag denied Bennett a second goal after Josh Hoey strayed offside.

With 75 minutes gone, Patrick McManus's men retook the lead when left-winger Shorey made his way into the box before firing a delightful strike past Creese.

Obeng almost settled the match moments later when his long-range thunderbolt crashed off the crossbar from nearly 30 yards out.

As the game drew to a close, man-of-the-match James Mayo plucked a Bemerton cross out of the air before slowing the game down with maturity and calmness that summed up his evening.

Brockenhurst manager Patrick McManus said: "It was good to be able to pick from a slightly stronger squad due to availability, but moreover it was really good to play in front of spectators for the first time since the restart.

"I thought the game was an even, open affair with both teams showing lots of attacking intent, and it took an excellent individual goal from James Shorey to separate the two sides eventually."

The win confirms Brockenhurst's place in the Hampshire FA Senior Supplementary Cup final. They will meet New Forest rivals Ringwood Town, who won their semi-final 1-0 against Hamble.

Brockenhurst will host the final at the Meadens Skoda Arena on Friday at 7.45pm.

McManus added:" "It will be nice for the club to shut the first team season down with a final, and hopefully, the game against Ringwood will be as good for our supporters and the neutrals as this one was."

The two teams met earlier in the competition, Ringwood winning 2-0 with goals in each half from James Matthews and Harrison Fay.

Brockenhurst: J. Mayo, C. Ings, J. Broad, J. Nwachukwu, R. Moore, B. Magookin, W. Tickle, C. Ward, S. Obeng, M. Sheedy, J. Shorey. Subs: B. Matoug, P. Wilson, J. Stacey, F. Monk, N. McCarthy-Gardiner.