Stand-in keeper Callum Horton saves penalty as Ringwood beat Whitchurch

Wessex Division One
Ringwood Town FC 1
Whitchurch United FC 0

RINGWOOD Town defender Callum Horton saved a first-half penalty to help his side secure back-to-back one-goal wins.

Horton donned the goalie’s gloves after an unfortunate knee injury to number one Joel Hirdle and repelled several Whitchurch chances before Ryan Hamm scored a late winning penalty.

With just under 30 minutes played, the stand-in keeper, who typically plays at centre-back, rushed out and toppled striker Nathan Lynch in the box.

However, Horton heroically dived to his right and palmed away the well-struck spot-kick with the ball heading for the bottom corner.

Ringwood hung on to reach the break with the match still goalless, but they came out for the second with renewed impetus and quickly laid siege to the Whitchurch area.

Despite the momentum reversal, the match entered the final five minutes with no goals. Then came a moment of brilliance from striker Hamm, who won and converted a penalty to secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory.

The goal was the striker’s fifth since rejoining the club from local rivals Bashley.