Brockenhurst, Blackfield and New Milton win midweek Wessex Football League derby clashes

THIS week's midweek Wessex Football League fixtures threw up three local derbies, with Brockenhurst vs Hythe & Dibden, Bashley vs Blackfield & Langley, and New Milton Town vs Totton & Eling all in action.

In the premier clash between Brockenhurst and Hythe & Dibden, the division's top goalscorer, Silvano Obeng, continued to tear the league's defences apart to score his second hat-trick of the season and his 12th goal in eight in a resounding 5-0 win.

The win lifts Patrick McManus's side back to the top of the table with a game in hand over Cowes Sports, who sit a point behind on 14.

Brockenhurst dominated the vast majority of the game, but keeper Conor Manderson repeatedly came to his side's rescue to keep Brock in the game until the final 12 minutes.

Only Obeng's 28th-minute strike separated the two sides going into the 78th minute. However, after 17-year-old midfielder Christie Ward scored the Badgers' second goal, Hythe capitulated, with Brockenhurst scoring three more goals in the final 10 minutes. Cassius Newton grabbed the third before Obeng scored twice to round off his hat-trick.

Bashley went into their home match against Blackfield & Langley keen to avenge their 5-3 loss to the same opponents a week before, but Blackfield made the most of their chances to win 4-1 and pick up their second league win of the season.

Blackfield & Langley had the best of the opening exchanges, with Bashley looking for a way back into the game. Blackfield looked to have taken a 34th-minute lead, but the hosts' post kept the scores level.

Bashley's Lewis Ross and Ryan Hamm had decent efforts saved by the Watersiders keeper Amadeusz Skrzyniarz. But with half-time moments away, a defensive error resulted in Sammy Thompson stranded in no man's land as Bradley Gale happily accepted the gift to make it 1-0.

Calamity struck for Bashley, who started the match with only one recognised defender. Lewis Aimson, who went into the game carrying an ankle injury, was unable to restart after the break.

Blackfield took control at this stage, and Rafa Ramos soon made it 2-0 to bring his season's tally against Bashley to four after bagging a hat-trick in the previous tie last week.

Dom Panesar-Dower then scored the goal of the match, a wonder-strike which left Thompson with no chance.

To their credit, Bashley continued to attack and only a brilliant save by Skrzyniarz denied Harrison White's fierce shot following good play from Ollie Bradley and Harry Bunce.

With 10 minutes left, the hosts finally found some joy when the industrious Hamm won a penalty. Lewis Ross stepped up and kept his nerve and his conversion record with a faultless finish.

Stung by conceding a consolation strike, second-half substitute Harvey-Joe Bertrand immediately went up the other end and headed in a fourth for the Watersiders.

New Milton Town's impressive start to the season continued with a fine 3-1 win over a dangerous Totton & Eling side at the JMC Stadium.

The victory, Linnets' fifth league win out of six games this season, lifts Paul Turner's side to fourth in the table, three points off the top with a game in hand over leaders Newport (IoW).

Totton's Sam Ellis had a decent sight of goal in the opening minutes, but the hosts were well in control for the majority, with multiple efforts flashing narrowly wide.

The pressure paid off after 25 minutes when Milton's Tyrell Sampson, playing at number 10, finished well to score after a lovely passing move put him through on goal.

Totton's Lewis Dumper produced more than one remarkable save to preserve the one-goal deficit, the best of these a diving effort as he turned the ball away to his left after Callum Parnell cut inside and shot.

Despite holding on for long periods, Totton & Eling forced their way back into the game when Sam Ellis managed to pinch the ball and find an empty net after keeper Luke Dennison was sold short by a loose pass just after the break.

Just after the hour mark, New Milton reasserted their superiority with a well-worked goal. A long pass up field was held up and teed off for Chris Long to hit a fizzing left-footed strike past a diving Dumper from more than 20 yards.

The match was put to bed with 10 minutes left after Ben Cooper smashed the ball low into the bottom right corner from 12 yards after referee Lewis Ward pointed to the spot.