Whitchurch robbed at the death but Street are stunned (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Whitchurch robbed at the death but Street are stunned

11:31pm Wednesday 3rd February 2010

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WHITCHURCH United came within an inch of spoiling resurgent Fleet Spurs’ winning run on Tuesday night when an injury time goal from substitute Paul George was ruled out by a linesman’s flag.

It was a cruel end to a battling performance by what is left of Brian Drury’s squad which has been decimated by injuries and departures in recent weeks. Pa Touray and John Rimmer have headed for Hartley Wintney and striker Ashley Childs opted to play at Cove. With Matt Davies a long term doubt due to persistent knee problems among others it was a changed side which took on Spurs, who were unbeaten in 12 and on a winning run of seven straight.

The home side’s Ben Edwards had the ball in the net inside five minutes but it was ruled out for offside before Whitchurch replied with Elliot Capel nodding a Luke Walker cross just over. Spurs’ lanky striker Sam Knowles headed wide from a good position then Walker was denied by Mark Appleby in the home goal.

United took the lead on 18 minutes when Walker and Capel combined and the cross was deflected onto his own post by Dan Sleet, only for Alistair Brown to roll the ball in from a foot away. Knowles missed badly again on the half hour but Whitchurch were well worth their lead at the break.

Spurs began stronger and with former Bracknell striker Adam Crittenden causing problems with his pace and control ‘Church were soon under pressure. Crittenden had a shot saved then watched as the profligate Knowles blazed over again and the big man missed once more at the back post on the hour. It mattered little as on 71 minutes a corner was not cleared and Crittenden hooked it in under Wellman.

Spurs were in full flight and five minutes later Crittenden went down under a challenge from Douda Foufahna and tucked away the spot-kick. He hit the bar moments later but Whitchurch came back and deep into injury time George had a shot scrambled away and from the corner he slid in a loose ball only to be pulled up for offside. The win took Spurs above Whitchurch into third place in the Wessex Division One.

NEW Street were left to rue a nightmare 20 minutes on Wednesday night when Hamble ASSC hit them seven times after they held the visitors to 1-1, minutes from the break.

It was an astonishing collapse after New Street had frustrated Danny Bowers’ side who were liberally sprinkled with former Lions including Lloyd Webber, James Roden, Ashley Jarvis and Jamie Musselwhite.

Ryan Davis went close before Musselwhite stabbed home the opener on 11 minutes after good work down the left from Jarvis. Within a minute New Street were level as skipper Vinnie Rusher picked out top scorer Nic Turpin and he finished in style.

Rusher himself went close before Jason Harsant joined Deboo in the book but his cross after a quickly taken free-kick was almost turned in to his own net by Dan Sturman. That was the best it got for New Street as the whole game turned five minutes from the break. Jarvis’s neat flick on put Musselwhite in and his finish past Tom Robinson was clinical.

A minute later it was three as Paul West drilled home from 20 yards and with the home defence stunned West floated a free-kick in from the far touchline and Robinson could only watch it drop in for the fourth.

Hamble went for the kill straight from the restart and when Jarvis went down in the box Musselwhite smashed home the penalty for his hat-trick and seconds later departed, his job done. It was a stunner for New Street who had played some good stuff before the break but there was worse to come.

Three minutes later West knocked in the sixth for his own hat-trick and when Jarvis was again flattened in the box on 54 minutes, he got up to tuck in the spot-kick to make it 7-1 with the sixth goal in 14 minutes. On the hour substitute Ricky Rawlins finished off a fine move to make it 8-1 but Liam Edwards hammered in from 20 yards to make it 8-2 with 20 minutes left. Although Rawlins made it nine on 82 minutes New Street’s determination to avoid double figures was just enough although with nine goals conceded and six bookings it was a night to forget at Foxcotte Park.

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