On a bitterly cold Sunday morning, despite the whole team being sent to the wrong location by the blessed sat nav, the Bernard Cornish Cup tie between Chineham Reserves and Hartley Sunday kicked off on time.
Within a few minutes Hartley Sunday's Ryan Powell found the back of the net.
Not to be deterred by the early visitors' goal Chineham levelled through Scott Berry, two goals in eight minutes showed this game could go either way.
Hartley proved the more dominant throughout the first half with some superb touches and teamwork causing Chineham a few problems, while Hartley's aptly named goalkeeper Henry Pickup having little to do. When Whitehead was brought down on the edge of the box, a penalty was put away by Shane Deakin.
Shortly after, the restart Powell bagged his brace, half-time 3-1.
The second half saw Chineham dominate and Pickup kept busy with a couple of fine saves. Neither side could find the back of the net with both Keepers busy collecting the ball from behind the net instead.
With tired legs and cramp kicking in for both teams the game was subject to a few poor tackles but nothing the referee needed to act on. The game ended 3-1, a very good advert for higher division vs lower division with no sin bins or cautions, just decent football, a few goals and sensible officiating.
A Christopher Currie hat-trick, plus strikes from subs Mathew Lowe and Scott Winterbourne, saw Overton United win their tie 5-1 against Sportsman Reserves.
An evenly-contested game which the visitors felt was poorly refereed, Overton's fifth victory in a row.
Bramley United beat Chineham 5-1 in Division One, goals from Matthew Southgate, a Gordon Birch penalty on the half-hour, Tyrell Reid just before the break, and sub Colin Bell with two excellent second-half strikes made it their third win on the trot.
Charlie Hadfield netted for Chineham in the first half.
Chineham Cavaliers won their third in a row with a 6-1 Division Two triumph after going a goal behind at Brighton Wood, thanks for a hat-trick for Elliott Forsey, two for Sushant Maghar and one from full back Matt Heslin.
Special mention to Alex Hicken who played superbly in goal, having only found out he was playing there 10 minutes before the game.
Renegades started their Division Three match well at Chineham Tigers, scoring within five minutes from a corner headed in at the front post. The game then opened up with the flow of the match going end to end although it was Renegades who got two quick goals just before half-time making it 3-0.
In the second half Chineham started strong enjoying possession and launching attack after attack but struggled to finish, ending the game 3-0 to Renegades.
FC Shallow End romped home 21-0 against Hampshire Royals.
North Warnborough 2020 scored seven without reply against AFC Aldermaston, through Harry Armstrong, Charlie Auge-de-Rancourt, William Breau, George Kennedy, Cameron Metcalfe, Thomas Price and sub Luc Vincent, now gone seven games without defeat.
New Park Rangers progressed to the semi-finals of the North Hants Senior Cup after starting well against hosts Republic of Chineham and created three good early chances, the best from Callum Greenly who hit the crossbar following a well-worked team move.
New Rangers goalkeeper Adam Burridge saved well at his near post on 20 minutes before Charlie Hart blasted in the 1-0 opener on 25 minutes. Ben Blackwell and Connor Stratton also found the net from efforts just outside the box to make it 3-0 at half-time.
Republic of Chineham got a goal back on the hour mark following a defensive error but then they were reduced to 10 men shortly after following a last man tackle when Dylan Bardell was through on goal. Rangers had two more great chances to score through Joe Hodge and Bardell but missed them. Republic of Chineham got a questionable penalty which was brilliantly saved by Burridge.
New Park went on to score twice more through Hodge and Charlie Dobson, 5-1 ending a run of five unbeaten games for Republic of Chineham and stretching New Park Rangers' run to 10 wins on the trot, in this second win over the champions this season.
Basingstoke Hammers were level 2-2 at full-time in the North Hants Chris Price Cup, winning 4-2 on penalties against Eastrop Eagles, Hammers' third win in a row.
Sammy Shahir scored twice as Camrose Social beat Vernham Royals.
In the North Hants John Ward Cup quarter-finals Basingstoke Saints won 7-3 against AFC Basing, thanks to a Matt Cuthbertson hat-trick, and strikes from Liam James and Tom Wilson.
Andover Robins beat Wyke Down Wanderers 8-2 in the Basingstoke Kelvin Cup opening round.
In the second round of the Kelvin Cup AFC Laarsens were hammered 7-1 at home to AFC Allbrook.
Tidworth Town went through 7-1 against South Wonston Swifts.
This Sunday's fixture are North Hants Senior Cup quarter-final: Team FC v Bramley Utd.
Hampshire Trophy Cup rd 3: AFC Allbrook v New Park Rangers, Portchester v Chineham, Landguard Rovers v Brookvale Utd, Vienna Suttoners Res v AFC Laarsens.
Hampshire Vase Cup rd 3: Charlton Royals v Hartley Sunday, DC Utd v Basingstoke Hammers, Eastrop Eagles v Overton Utd, Grange Ath Res v AFC Basing, North Warnborough 2020 v Kirkfield Utd, Test Valley Spartans v Chineham Cavaliers.
Hampshire Plate Cup rd 2: Chineham Res v South Coast, Kempshott v Gosport Spartans.
Division 2: Basingstoke Royals v Brighton Wood, Camrose Social v Hampshire Irons.
Division 3: AFC Aldermaston v FC Shallow End, Renegades v Basingstoke Saints.
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