AFC Stoneham kick-off the new year with a fifth successive home league game as they host Alresford Town on Tuesday 3rd January in the Wessex Premier League.

AFC Stoneham:

For the fifth successive time, Stoneham are at home in the Wessex Premier League, looking to make it five home league wins in a row in their first match of 2023.

AFC Stoneham ended their 2022 league campaign in solid form, losing only one in six games, with this narrow 3-2 defeat falling at the hands of table-topping AFC Portchester.

The Purps currently sit 3rd in the league on 42 points, just two away from Horndean in second, so they will be looking to shake off their 3-0 loss to AFC Totton in the Southampton Senior Cup and get back to winning ways.

Striker Duarte Martins will also be looking to keep up his impressive 2022 tally, scoring 34 goals and assisting 12, something Stoneham are hoping will continue in 2023.

Alresford Town:

Alresford Town, also known as the Magpies, have had a tough start to their 2022/23 league campaign, currently sitting bottom of the table on just three points.

Their only league win this season came all the way back in game week one, defeating Shaftesbury 2-1 away from home, courtesy of goals from Sheldon Wright and Nicholas Yeomans.

However, they will have had a month to prepare for this game as they haven’t played since their 5-0 defeat on December 3rd, suggesting that a well-rested team is raring to go to try and turn Alresford Town’s season around.

The Magpies finished 14th in the Wessex Premier League last season and drew 1-1 with AFC Stoneham, showing that they can collect points off the big teams as they fight to stay in this league.

Last Five Meetings:

12/02/22- AFC Stoneham 1-1 Alresford Town (PREM)

09/10/21- Alresford Town 2-4 AFC Stoneham (PREM)

08/12/20- Alresford Town 0-3 AFC Stoneham (PREM)

19/09/20- Alresford 1-1 AFC Stoneham (Pens 3-4, FA VASE)

08/02/20- AFC Stoneham 1-3 Alresford Town (PREM)

By Freddie Dorman