Liphook United boss Carl Harris understands how much pressure is on his side as they are one win away from winning the Hampshire Premier League after their 3-1 victory on Tuesday night against Moneyfields Reserves.

Moneys took an early lead through former Portsmouth midfielder Stan Bridgman but Ryan Angear, Marco Sellitto and Marcus Bedford were on target for the Blues to gain all three points in East Hampshire.

Victory for Liphook saw them pick up their 11th win from losing positions this season, which saw Harris praised his squad’s character after Tuesday’s comeback.

He told Winol: “It’s always going to be tough game [against Moneyfields Reserves], they are playing to stay in the league and had a few first team players playing for them – Stan Bridgman and Elliott Turnbull.

“The last few weeks people have been saying we should win the league and now it’s just us to close it out.”

‘We are a second-half team’

Harris told Winol: “People have been saying – ‘how are Liphook going to win the league, they are not that good.’ I agree with people saying ‘we’re a second-half team’ and it’s nothing to do with other than character.

“The character of my team is the best I know, that is the 11th time this season we have come back from behind and won. That’s character so when we look like we’re down and out, we’re not.

“People can say whatever they like, it’s just one more now.”

One more win

Saturday afternoon could see Liphook become winners of the Hampshire Premier League for the first time since 2012. 

A win on Saturday against rock bottom Fleet Spurs will see the Blues win the league with four games to spare.

Fleet have only two league wins all season, Liphook will certainly go into the game as favorites.

The two sides met earlier this month as the Blues took home all three points at Kennels Lane.

“It’s the day we wanted,” said Harris. “At home [on a Saturday], our Reserves are playing before us – the whole club will be here, and that is something no one can take away from us.

“It will be tough [against Fleet Spurs], only won 3-2 against a good side. Every game is tight, and we will probably make hard work of it but I don’t care as long as we get our day.”

The Royal Navy FA have booked their place in the Portsmouth Senior Cup final after last night’s 2-0 victory over Petersfield Town.

The Rams came into the tie with a much stronger side with the returning Tommy Tierney, former Portsmouth midfielder Charlie Bell and captain Liam Kimber making the starting 11 after being rested on Monday night. 

Petersfield controlled the early stages of the game but the RN were able to create some chances. Skipper Danny Kerr had his effort palmed away by youngster Harvey Greenfield, before Elliot Holmes’ strike was comfortable caught by the Rams keeper. 

The RN continued to break on the counter, looking to attack down the flanks, but had no luck with Petersfield’s dominant display and they failed to really test Dane Rigby. Tyler Giddings’ effort was blasted over as Jake Thomson has his low drive blocked. 

Tierney’s strike was pushed away for a corner by Rigby as Kimber tried his luck from range just before the break.

HT: Petersfield Town 0-0 Royal Navy FA

Just seconds into the restart Petersfield came extremely close to taking the lead with Kimber’s strike just going wide of the post. 

Cam Quirke had two opportunities on goal, which were comfortable caught by  Greenfield. 

Two quick chances for the Rams saw Giddings’ header snatched by Rigby as Charlie Merritt drilled his effort wide. 

Kerr and Holmes combined just outside the box, which allowed substitute Sanchez Jansz-Baker to volley his effort over the bar. 

However shortly afterwards Jansz-Baker found the bottom left corner to put the RN ahead with 20 minutes remaining.

Tierney had another opportunity, this time to make it level, but he curled his effort from outside the box wide. 

Petersfield believed they should of been awarded a penalty when Callum Knoll was bought down by Jim Cox, the referee waved play on. 

The Rams controlled the later stages of the game. Alex Hulme’s strike was blocked by Rigby as Bell managed to pick out Thomson late on but his header was cleared away. 

In the third minute of added time Petersfield’s last attack of game saw Bell square it across the face of goal but Shawn Benjamin managed hook it clear. 

This allowed another attack for the RN, which saw Sean Powell net in the late on to secure their spot in final of Portsmouth Senior Cup

FT: Petersfield Town 0-2 Royal Navy FA

Gosport Borough or Portsmouth U21s will lock horns with the RN at the PMC Stadium next month. 

Connor Hoare told Winol:  “We could have been 2-0 up before their first goal. Liam [Kimber], Charlie [Merritt] and Tommo [Jake Thomson] had chances, and we make a mistake, 1-0.

“We just said to the lads [after the game], it’s a bit of our story of the season – on top of games, but all of a sudden they are taking their opportunities. The amount of times this season, whether that be at half-time or at the end of the game, we’ve gone ‘how have we not won that game?’ It has been relentless the amount of times we’ve said that, and today was another case of it.”

What has gone wrong?

The Rams have been missing a lot of key players due to injury in recent weeks. Keeper Ellis Grant, Ollie Davis, Cam Smith and Chad Cornwell have all been sidelined.

Archie Greenough and Dec Seiden, who finished off as the club’s top goalscorer despite leaving in early February, both left Petersfield during the season.

Seiden’s 15 goals for Hoare’s side earned him a move back to Moneyfields, who scored a further five times for the Wessex Premier League champions.

➡️ | 𝙋𝙇𝘼𝙔𝙀𝙍 𝘿𝙀𝙋𝘼𝙍𝙏𝙐𝙍𝙀

We can confirm that Dec Seiden has joined Moneyfields FC. We would like to thank Dec for all of his contributions this season and wish him all the best. #uptherams pic.twitter.com/tZEIO6yNxo

— Petersfield Town FC (@PTFCTheRams) February 8, 2024

Hoare has expressed how the club’s struggled since Seiden’s departure, and has hinted where the Rams will be looking to strength next season: “Losing Dec was massive for us, he had a lot of goal contributions, it was actually quite difficult [the transition from losing him] – we prepare a way of playing around him.

“You take him out, you take all your goals out.

“The last few months [since Dec left] we’ve been playing Liam Kimber, who is a midfielder, as a striker – because we’ve no one else. Ollie Davis was our biggest goal threat all season, he suffered a four month injury. We know we need a striker, winger and a really experienced centre-back [when we go into recruitment in the summer].

“We’re looking for more experience, we’ll come back as a better team, next year”

Petersfield Town will be aiming to book their place in the final of the Portsmouth Senior Cup for the first time in seven years when they welcome the Royal Navy FA on Thursday Night, following a disappointing 5-1 defeat against Fareham Town on Monday night. 

National South side Havant & Waterlooville’s withdrawal from the competition, a few days after their relegation was confirmed, saw the Rams progress to the final four.

From being one of the favourites to being relegated, to avoiding the relegation battle completely, Connor Hoare’s debut season as Petersfield manager, a chance of silverware would be icing on the cake.

Whereas the RN have swept aside Hampshire Premier League sides Denmead and Paulsgrove.

But Hoare has concerned ahead of the semi-final tie – saying the game is ‘one of the most difficult games to prepare for,’ when speaking to Winol before last Saturday’s draw against Cowes Sports.

Hoare said: “I think it is probably one of the most difficult games to prepare for, to be honest. You don’t know anything about them – you don’t know the players, you have no footage – you always must go into the game just worrying about yourself.

“The results clearly speak for themselves, they’re [Royal Navy FA] are a good side. They’re obviously fit because they’re in the navy, and that is all you can predicted. With that knowledge, we are going to have to run as much as they are going to run.

“We know they are more coached than they’re – we can use that to our advantage”

Briefing on Monday’s game:

A heavily rotated Petersfield Town suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat against Fareham Town on Monday night which even saw both Rams managers Hoare and Callum Glen on the pitch, rather than the dugout.

Jamie Truckell netted a first-half hat-trick as Jamie Hosking scored two free-kicks for the Creeksiders.

Jo Houldsworth scored a late consolation for Petersfield.