Title challengers Liphook United continued their impressive season with a 3-0 victory against Bishops Waltham Dynamos on Tuesday evening.
Dynamos looked to bounce back following their 8-0 defeat to Liss Athletic three days ago, but they found themselves behind in the opening stages. Max Bray opened the scoring with 28 seconds as he found the bottom-left corner to give Carl Harris’ side an early lead.
Henry Smith and Maltese forward Luca Theuma were on target late-on to sercue all three points.
Youngster Harry Adey kept his sixth clean-sheet of the season for Liphook.
What is next for both sides?
Liphook travel to Newman Collard Park as they look to seek revenge against local rivals Liss Athletic.
Harris’ side were battered 4-1 at Liphook Recreation Ground, but were on the winning side of their League Cup clash in January. Goals from Billy Allcock and Smith saw the Blues progress to the semi-final of the competition.
Whereas for Bishops Waltham Dynamos, they took on relegation favorites Harvest at Mountbatten School. The Romsey-based side could move up to fifth depending on other results this weekend.
Who is favorite to win the Hampshire Premier League?
Infinity manager Rich Bessey with new signing Morgan Moret
It is a very strange position for League leaders Infinity, who completed their season on Wednesday evening following their 2-2 draw with fifth-placed Whitehill & Bordon at The Lumacon Arena – finishing the season with 59 points
Rich Bessey’s side are looking to complete back-to-back promotions following their withdrawal of the Wessex League, two seasons ago.
Infinity have failed to win any of their last three games against the Stags, Hook and fellow title challengers Locks Heath.
Locks Heath are have beaten both Infinity and Liphook this season as they find themselves just eight points behind Infinity.
Bishops Waltham Dynamos face Locks Heath at the Cams Alders, home of Fareham Town, in the Hampshire League Final Club on the 27th of April.
Four games left and a chance of winning some silverware for Jon Whitfield’s side could see Locks Heath end the season on a high.
Liphook United have nine games left to play including local derby against Liss, and will play Bishops Waltham Dynamos yet again in their last home game of the season, as they are nine points behind Infinity and one behind.
The Blues have a cup final of their own against Hartley Wintney Development, a repeat of last year’s ADFA Mark Coombs Cup, at The EBB Stadium.
Colden Common are level on points with Whitchurch United, but stay second due to goal difference, after a 4-1 win against Blackfield & Langley.
That win now sees the Stallions undefeated in their last six league games – they’ve won five in a row.
But it was Colden Common that were behind, following James Egeland-Jensen’s attempt to clear the ball that was deflected in by striker Ashton Goodger
However, the Watersiders’ lead was short-lived.
Steve Kings’ side turned the game around in just five minutes, going from trailing 1-0 to leading 2-1, thanks to Jimmy Walters’ goal from a corner and Cal Archer’s lob over Jack James.
Despite surrendering their 1-0 lead and falling behind, Blackfield had a chance to level the score immediately, but Daniel Reynolds’ effort was directed wide.
Colden Common continued to pile the pressure on but couldn’t find the back of the net, as Joao Ferreira fired his effort straight at the keeper
And even in the early stages of the second-half, Colden Common struggled to find the back of the net in the early stages of the second half, with Ferrieia and Walters both failing to convert close-range. However, from a resulting corner, Cam Stone’s delivery was met by defender Will Erdinc, who nodded home to give his side a two-goal cushion.
Two minutes later, Erdinc’s pinpoint pass found Ben Sunley, who opted to shoot rather than pass to Walters, but his effort was dragged wide.
The chances kept coming. Erdinc thought he’d grab a second, but his header was directed wide of the post.
Six minutes later, Erdinc turned provider, when he picked out Sunley, who found the back of the net and seemingly wrapped up the game.
Colden Common pushed for a fifth late on, but a series of chances fell to nothing. Walters found Ferreira, but James made a great low save. Sammy Middleton’s effort from range flew wide, while Josh Bowerman’s strike was comfortably kept out. The game’s final chance saw Josh Harvey-Grey’s free kick, which looked to curl into the top corner, but was palmed away.
Next up for the Stallions, it’s a midweek trip to United Services Portsmouth, in the third round of the Wessex League Cup.
At the Madjeski, Reading fans faced heartbreak as their team squandered a two-goal lead in the dying minutes, ultimately losing to Carlisle 3-2.
Lewis Wing and Mark O’Mahony had given the Royals a 2-0 advantage. Going into added time the home fans started looking forward to the next round.
But Carlisle’s hero, Regan Linney had other plans scoring twice in injury time and added another in extra time to complete his hat trick and advance the Blues to the second round.
Eastleigh 0-3 Walsall
Meanwhile, at Silverlake Stadium, in front of the BBC cameras, Eastleigh was knocked out by League Two side Walsall.
Evan Weir, Daniel Kanu, and Jamille Matt all found the back of the net for the away side to cap off a dominant display from the visitors allowing them to advance to the second round for the fifth consecutive year, where they will travel up north to face National League side Gateshead.
Macclesfield 6-3 AFC Totton
Totton was unable to replicate its best-ever FA Cup result, suffering a 6-3 defeat away at Macclesfield. A hat trick from Danny Elliot led to the Stags’ downfall, despite them briefly holding the lead midway through the first half after a Scott Randell brace.
However, Macclesfield’s quality ultimately prevailed, as they scored three unanswered goals in the second half to put out the hopes of the away side.
Weston Super Mare 2-1 Aldershot Town
It was another late disappointment for the local teams as Aldershot failed to maintain their 1-0 lead, losing 2-1 to National League South side Weston Super Mare.
With the home side matching their previous best result in the cup, after previously reaching the second round in 2003/04, and will hope to make history as they travel to fellow league side Chelmsford.
The Shots took the lead with a goal from Kiban Rai, but Emlyn Lewis equalised 6 minutes from time then James Waite scored the winner 10 minutes before the end of extra time to secure the victory.
Eastleigh’s win sees them rise to 12th ahead of their FA Cup game; this win is also their first at home under new manager Scott Bartlett.
The victory ends the team’s three-game winless run, which included two draws and a loss.
The first half lacked any real action as both teams sought to maintain possession of the ball. The home side, Eastleigh, attempted to build up from the back, while Morecambe favoured the long ball over and behind Eastleigh’s back line.
Fans of both teams would need to wait until we got underway for the second half to see any attacking action.
Both of Eastleigh’s goals came from set pieces. Lloyd Humphries stepped up to take a free kick from just outside the box, with it flying past Ex-Chelsea Keeper Jamal Blackman and into the top corner just six minutes into the second half.
Eastleigh got their second just over twenty minutes later as a foul from Ludwig Francillette gifted Eastleigh a penalty. Ciaran McGuckin stepped up and coolly doubled Eastleigh’s advantage. The 21-year-old scored for the second time in four appearances for the club since he joined on loan from Rotherham.
Despite their control of the game, however, Eastleigh failed to keep a clean sheet for the fourth consecutive league game, a worrying statistic ahead of their match against Walsall next Sunday. A long ball over the top caught Eastleigh off guard, and following a deflected cross, Ben Tollitt halved the deficit right at the end of regular time.
Morecambe pushed for a late equaliser but couldn’t find one, as Eastleigh held on to take a much-needed victory. The win was not only a first at home for Scott Bartlett but a much-needed confidence boost for the team ahead of a much more difficult opposition next Sunday.
Eastleigh head coach Scott Bartlett told Winchester News Online:
“Before we scored the second goal, we had two opportunities to score again before that. So we have to make sure that we are a little bit more ruthless in those areas.”
