Sat October 1st : United Services Portsmouth vs AFC Stoneham

AFC Stoneham come out 4-1 winners against a resilient United Services Portsmouth side on Saturday afternoon. The Stoneham faithful saw a changed side from Tuesdays Wessex League Cup win, 8 in total. Ben Godwin back in goal and captain Jim Orvis back in the starting line-up.

The Purps kicked the first half off but were very slow to get up and running, because of this United Services Portsmouth (USP) took advantage of this and in the 5th minute they went 1-0 up. Stoneham, however, didn’t back down and showed some fight by having a few attempts at goal, one saw Cade Dyer play a great through ball to Ryan Penny, he shoots but its saved by the keeper. A minute later USP nearly make it 2-0 but some great defending by Ben Clarke with a goal line clearance sees the score-line stay the same

Stoneham are relentless on the attack and sees Jim Orvis go through on goal, he squares it to Duarte Martins but he slips before he can connect with the ball. Again a ball is played through to Scott Hills he shoots but his shot is well over the crossbar. The hard work paid off and in the 23rd minute Stoneham find their equaliser, when Scott Hills plays the ball into the box Duarte Martins meets and heads it home. The Purps could have gone ahead before half time when Hills was taken down in the penalty box, shouts for penalty were heard but they were waved away by the referee.

HALF TIME – United Services Portsmouth 1-1 AFC Stoneham

The second half gets under way and we see a much more brighter and awake Stoneham side. 6 minutes into the second half Stoneham find themselves 2-1 up when Lewis Nagle plays the ball across into the box, Duarte Martins again is the highest he meets and heads in into the back of the net. Another great chance comes for the team when Ben Godwin plays the ball over the top to Martins who goes one on one with the keeper he shoots but he hits the side netting. In the 73rd minute we make our first change of the afternoon when Ryan Penny comes off and Nathan Clements on. 6minutes later Duarte Martins get his third (hattrick) when a mess up at the back for USP let’s Martins go one on one again with the keeper and calmly slots it home.

2nd substitution sees Lewis Nagle make way and Liam Callaghan come on for the remainder of the game. Duarte Martins, the hero of the day, has a chance to get his fourth when he goes through on goal he manages to get a shot away but it’s over the crossbar. 86th minute Stoneham get their fourth when Liam Callaghan powers through on goal he crosses it in front of the goal mouth and Nathan Clements taps it into the bottom right hand corner. We make a final double substitution before full time when Jim Orvis and Tommy Barnes comes off and Isaac Evans and Adam Pattison come on. We have the ball in the back of the net curtesy of Liam Callaghan but it’s ruled out for offside.

A much better second half from Stoneham sees them deservedly come out winners on the day.

FULL TIME – United Services Portsmouth 1-4 AFC Stoneham

Line-up:-

Godwin, Barnes, Dyer, Bainbridge, Ovington, Clarke, Nagle, Orvis, Martins, Penny, Hills

Subs:-