Mixed bag for local sides in cups as Brockenhurst, Blackfield and Langley, Bashley and Ringwood Town contest derbies
IT was a mixed bag of results for New Forest-based clubs in mid-week cup action in the Hampshire Senior Cup and Wessex League Cup first rounds, with Ringwood Town and Brockenhurst playing out a derby match in the Wessex League Cup Second Round on Tuesday.
Wessex Football League Premier Division’s Brockenhurst and Division One’s Ringwood Town came into the fixture off the back of vastly differing form – Ringwood having won once in six matches and Brockenhurst top of the table.
However, judging from the opening half, many felt that Ringwood was the superior team while fashioning multiple chances to break the deadlock.
New signing Roy Viner, who joins from Lymington Town, looked threatening in the area, and his best chance came in the 12th minute when he struck the outside of the post after pouncing on a poor back pass.
Patrick McManus’s men finally found a way through in the 40th minute when 17-year-old Christie Ward capitalised on a defensive error.
Brockenhurst’s class began to show, and they doubled their advantage just two minutes later when Lyle Simpson turned and shot into the bottom corner past Sam Reily from just inside the box.
After the break, a superb double save from Reilly kept Ringwood in the tie, and they almost got themselves back in the game just after 70 minutes when Ben Harris cut in from the left before forcing a decent save from Taylor.
With seven minutes left, the league’s top scorer, Silvano Obeng, continued his spectacular recent form by bamboozling his marker by jinking one way before driving into the box and sliding the ball across the keeper into the far right corner to score his ninth goal in six games.
In the 90th minute, Patrick Wilson rounded off the scoring from close range after Ringwood failed to clear a free-kick.
In the Hampshire Senior Cup First Round, Blackfield & Langley sealed cup progression with a 5-3 against depleted local rivals Bashley.
The visitors started the match missing three defensive first-team players, and Fawzi Saadi’s men made the most of their advantage, with new signing Rafa Ramos appearing unstoppable en route to a stunning hat-trick.
Despite their selection issues, Bashley battled back from 3-1 to level the match with nineteen minutes left to play.
Bashley took the lead from a Lewis Aimson cross into the danger area that somehow made its way into the back of the net after a host of home defenders failed to deal with it.
Within four minutes, the hosts hit back through former Sholing striker Ramos, who scored twice in two minutes to turn the game on its head.
Captain Sami Makhloufi made it 3-1 within five of the restart. The goal sparked Bashley into life, and 16-year-old Bue Bennett volleyed home a Harry Bunce cross before Liam Farrugia restored parity with a fine header at a corner.
With it all to play for, Ramos pounced on a loose ball after Ben Rodwell had made a decent save to claim his first hat-trick for the club.
With 10 minutes left, midfielder Ali Zintany put the game to bed with a well taken fifth goal.
Bashley’s defensive woes continued when man-mountain Ron Frost, recently signed from Christchurch, already reduced to a walking pace, was forced to leave the field.
Totton & Eling’s involvement in the Hampshire Senior Cup ended at the first hurdle as the club’s winless run stretched to six successive games with a 2-1 loss to Alton Town.
Chris Horton and Liam Knight scored for the Brewers while Morgan Callaway scored for the Millers.
Hythe & Dibden's miserable start continued with a devastating six-goal Wessex League Cup thrashing at the hands of Folland Sports.
Hythe has lost seven of the last eight fixtures while conceding a mammoth 35 goals.
The Planemakers took the lead through Will Gange before Clayd Roach tore Hythe apart with four goals in 13 minutes. Tremayne Moore completed the rout in injury time.
