Welcome Stranger 4 Enham Vision 2

WELCOME Stranger continued their impressive form with a 4-2 win over top-of-the-table Enham.

Stranger’s Steven Shaw opened the scoring after some great football by Steven Smith and Andrew McKevitt.

Luke Soulby continued his terrific goal-scoring record so far this season with another goal to put Stranger 2-0 up at the break.

Soulby added his second after the break before Gary Brown’s deflected free kick sailed in to give Stranger a four-goal lead.

Enham started to grow into the game and were rewarded with two goals to bring the game to 4-2 but it was merely a consolation as Stranger retained their composure to see out the game.

 

Alderbury Dragons 8 Vernham Dean 3

VERNHAM Dean striker Jacob Miller bagged a hat-trick despite his side being thrashed 8-3 by Alderbury Dragons.

Miller opened the scoring after getting on the end of a well placed cross by Edward Silvester on ten minutes.

Alderbury replied with two quick goals before Miller equalised shortly before the break.

After the restart Vernham collapsed and six goals in quick succession quickly sealed the game for the home side.

However Vernham continued to battle and were rewarded for their efforts as Miller bagged his hat-trick to end the scoring at 8-3.

Jamie Banks was awarded Vernham's man-of-the-match.

 

Andover Royals 1 FC Anton 3

FC ANTON had a happy return after the Christmas break with a 3-1 away win against Andover Royals.

Playing in boggy conditions, both teams started well with neither able to get the upper hand.

However it was Anton who took the lead when Kieran Hicks headed through Richie Taylor, who calmly guided it past the keeper.

Anton doubled their lead after the break when Ollie Hawkins hit a stunning long range effort past a stranded goalkeeper.

A battling Royals side continued to battle but the game was all but sealed when Kieran Hodgson’s header went in off the post.

Royals were rewarded with a consolation goal but Anton held out to take all three points.

 

Vernham Dean  3 Shalbourne 2

VERNHAM DEAN advanced to their first Sunday semi-final for fourteen years after a thrilling encounter with neighbours Shalbourne in the Junior Cup. 

Shalbourne, who are two leagues lower than their Division Two opponents, started well and went a goal up through Danny Martin.

Timothy Hearn and Dan Lavers spurned further chances for the away side and it proved costly when Vernham equalised in the second half through Ben Morris.

Extra time loomed with the scores level, but Vernham’s Robbie Skeates had other ideas, firstly expertly heading in a cross from Morris, then poaching a third.

Vernham defenders Marcus Mitchell and Stuart Taylor, plus Ricky Mitchell and Richard Derbyshire, who had replaced Stewart Bridgeman and Pete Puplett, had to work hard to hold on to the lead after Shalbourne snatched a second with just minutes to go. 

However despite Shalbourne's efforts they couldn't find an equaliser.

Vernham will either play SParTEN FC or Twinnings FC in the semi-final.