OPEN TRAINING - SATURDAY JUNE 3

AFC Stoneham will be holding open training sessions for talent identification on Saturday June 3rd

All age groups will be holding sessions for both boys and girls teams with an aim to add to both existing teams and potentially create new teams.

We will be using all three full size 3G pitches at our ground throughout the day to hold the sessions. Age groups and times to be announced soon.

AFC Stoneham have recently been nominated in both the best 10 non-league clubs and best womens club in the UK whilst we have also been awarded a 3 Star club accreditation by the FA only given to the top 8% of grassroots clubs in the country.

If you are interested in joining a very progressive , ambitious and fully inclusive club with a structured player pathway for both boys and girls we look forward to seeing you on Saturday June 3rd.

To register interest in joining AFC Stoneham please contact 07841696579 or chairman@afcstoneham.co.uk

Further details to follow..

U18 WOLVES - PLAYERS WANTED

Our U18 Wolves are looking for new players to add to their existing squad who played in CSYL Div 1 in 2023/24.

Our U18 players sign for our CSYL, Hampshire League, U23 and reserves making them eligible for all four teams during the 23/24 season as they progress along our structured player pathway hopefully into our first team although we recognise that all players develop at different rates.

If interested in joining our U18 set up for season 23/24 and joining a very progressive club please contact Darren on 07917061976 or stonehamwolves@outlook.com

FA 3 Star club accreditation

We are very proud to announce that today we have been awarded the 3 Star club accreditation by the FA and England Football. The 3 Star accreditation is the highest level and only awarded to 8% of all grassroots clubs in the UK.

The FA’s accreditation scheme is open to all grassroots clubs and aims to raise standards in the grassroots game through supporting the development of clubs whilst also recognising and rewarding commitment, quality and achievement.

The clubs who achieve accreditation demonstrate they offer well-run and sustainable football. They are proud to prioritise qualified coaching and safeguarding, as well as the values of The FA’s Respect programme as part of their game.

The award is undoubtedly testimony to all of the fantastic volunteers involved with our club. Thank you to everyone of them.

Along with our recent nominations for Best Non-League Club and Best Womens Club in the UK the last few days have brought great pride and recognition to AFC Stoneham.

#upthepurps

NON LEAGUE BIBLE AWARDS

We were proud and delighted to learn that our club has been nominated for three awards in the Non-League Bible awards,

AFC Stoneham have been nominated across the UK for:

- Best non-league club

- Best Womens club

- Best Womens manager

AFC Stoneham were announced as one of 10 finalists in the "Non-League Club Of The Year" award with the Non-League bible, Non-Leagues number 1 news and media source with 23000 followers on instagram

Other Non League Club Of The Year Finalists are @Wrexham_AFC, @Official_Darlo, @WealdstoneFC,@Official_NCFC, @SheppeyUFC, @StamfordAFC1896,@altrinchamfc,@LewesFCMen,@needhammktfc

The finalists include the top two clubs in the National Conference League Wrexham and Notts County.

We have also been announced as a finalist in the prestigious "Best Womens football club" award along with @WrexhamAFCWomen,@LancasterCityFC,@AltyFC_women,@LewesFCWomen,@NewarkTownFC, @WoodleyUtdLFC,@NCFC_Women,@NMFCWomen,@BuryAFCWomen,@hashtagutdwomen,@MancunianUnity, @BuryFCWomens

Our whole club has put a huge amount of work and focus into female football over the last few seasons resulting in growing from one female team to twenty four today. This is a very proud moment for the whole club and especially all of our female teams.

Womens managers, Tom Forbes, has also been nominated as “Best Womens manager”,

Voting is now open and we would kindly ask that you please go to the link below and add your vote. Please also ask your friends and family to vote for us as well !!

The link is:

https://nonleaguebible.weebly.com/nlbible-awards.html

The nominations are a hugely proud achievement and to be bracketed with some of the other clubs nominated is a humbling moment for our club and great recognition for the many people who have contributed to our clubs progress and success over the last few years.

Thank you.

#upthepurps

Hamble preview

AFC Stoneham return home and will be looking to get back to winning ways when they take on Hamble on Saturday 8th April in the Wessex Premier League.

 AFC Stoneham:

 With the weather postponing last week’s game, it means thePurps enter this contest off the back of their first home loss of the season, losing 1-0 to high-flying Horndean.

 Zak Willet’s 42nd goal of the season ended Stoneham’s 17 match unbeaten home run, so they will be looking to bounce back and keep pressure on at the top of the table.

 This match will be somewhat of a warmup for when the two sides meet later on in the Semi-finals of the Russell Cotes Cup

 The Purps remain in second place but need to keep putting points on the board as teams below them have games in hand and also have a better goal difference.

 

Hamble:

 

Hamble come into this game unbeaten in four games, most recently beating Shaftesbury 2-0 away from home.

 Jack Barnes and Bradley Johnson scored the goals and kept them sixth, just three points behind Moneyfields, with both sides having six games remaining.

 Stoneham came out on top the last time the two sides met, winning 2-0 courtesy of goals from Nathan Clements and Duarte Martins.

 However, with a Semi-final looming, Hamble will want to prove a point to the Purps and will try to add to their impressive record against them.

 

Last Five Meetings:

 

25/10/22 Hamble 0-2 AFC Stoneham (PREM)

 01/03/22 AFC Stoneham 1-2 Hamble (SSC)

 01/02/22 Hamble 2-2 AFC Stoneham (PREM)

 05/10/21 Hamble 3-3 AFC Stoneham (WLC)

Hamble win 4-3 on pens.

 28/09/21 AFC Stoneham 1-2 Hamble (PREM)

 

By Freddie Dorman

 

Horndean preview

AFC Stoneham take on Wessex Premier League rivals Horndean in a huge clash towards the top of the table on Saturday 25th March.

 AFC Stoneham:

 The Purps come into this game off the back of a 4-0 win away to Shaftesbury on Tuesday.

 Goals from Duarte Martins, Lewis Nagle, Liam Callaghan, and Jim Orvis helped Stoneham come away with three points, extending their unbeaten run to 17.

 Nine points separate them from Horndean in third, but the away side have four games in hand on the Purps, making a win vital for both sides.

 Stoneham managed to edge past the Deans last time out courtesy of a single Callaghan goal, scoring past the best defence in the league as they have only conceded 18 in 29 games.

 

Horndean:
Horndean enter this game in free-flowing form, scoring 22 and conceding just one in their last five games.

 Most recently, they swept aside U.S Portsmouth 5-0, with Zack Willet scoring a hattrick, as well as goals from Thomas Scutt and Tommy Tierney.

 Willet is their key threat heading into this game, scoring eight in his last four matches, taking his tally up to 41 for the season, just eight behind the league highest scorer.

 The Deans’ last loss came at the hands off the Purps so they will certainly be looking for revenge, especially in a game of high stakes at the top of the table.

 

 Last Five Meetings:

 

21/02/23- Horndean 0-1 AFC Stoneham (PREM)

 29/01/22- AFC Stoneham 1-3 Horndean (PREM)

 04/09/21- Horndean 0-2 AFC Stoneham (PREM)

 27/10/20- AFC Stoneham 1-3 Horndean (PREM)

 28/01/20- AFC Stoneham 0-0 Horndean (PREM)

 

By Freddie Dorman

 

 

Laverstock preview

AFC Stoneham will look to maintain their unbeaten home record when they host a Laverstock& Ford side who have beaten them already this season.

 AFC Stoneham:

 The Purps come into this game after a 3-2 win against Brockenhurst on Tuesday night, moving them back up into second.

 Lewis Nagle, Liam Callaghan and Duarte Martins all scored in the first half, before the home side scored two near the end to provide a late scare.

 However, the win extends Stoneham’s unbeaten run to 15 games in all competitions, with their last loss coming in the Southampton Senior Cup to AFC Totton.

 Despite a good run of form, Stoneham will know the dangers that a physical side like Laverstock possess.

 

Laverstock& Ford:

 The Bulldogs also enter this game off the back of a 3-2 victory, beating Hamble courtesy of goals from Jacob Rawkins, Adam Bourner and Russel Jones.

 The latter is currently their top scorer on 21 goals, just five away from his tally last season despite playing a division higher.

 Laverstock have only lost two of their last five, with one being a very tight 2-1 loss to table-topping Portchester, showing that they are a tough challenge for any team.

 A win here could see them go as high as 9th and in their first season back in the Wessex Premier League.

 

Last Meetings:

 19/11/22 - Laverstock& Ford 4-2 AFC Stoneham (PREM)

 30/03/19 - Laverstock& Ford 2-5 AFC Stoneham (DIV ONE)

 26/03/19- AFC Stoneham 3-0 Laverstock& Ford (DIV ONE)

 

By Freddie Dorman

 

 

 

 

 

 

JOIN OUR CLUB !!

We currently have numerous opportunities for children and adults to join AFC Stoneham and have listed some of those opportunities below.

NEW UNDER 7 TEAMS FOR 2023/24

The club is creating 7 or 8 new teams for Under 7 players next season as the children start their football journey. Boys and Girls must be 6 as at 31/8/23 or soon after.

The teams will play in local leagues and train once or twice a week.

NEW GIRLS ONLY TEAM FOR 2023/24

AFC Stoneham have increased our female teams from one in 2019 to twenty three currently.

We are creating brand new girls teams next season at U7, U8, U9 and hopefully U10.

At all older age groups we are looking for new players to join our existing teams and to take on teams who may currently be with other clubs but could sadly be folding due to lack of numbers.

GIRLS ONLY WILDCATS SESSIONS - MONDAYS 5-6PM

These sessions are held on our main stadia pitch each week and are to introduce girls aged 5-10 into football in a Fun, Safe and Enjoyable environment with qualified coaches.

Many of the girls then join one of our new teams if indeed they wish to however some carry on just enjoying the fun of Wildcats.

BOYS TEAMS

We are always on the look out for new players and are very interested in hearing from anyone who may be interested across all age groups. We initially will invite a player into training with a current team and/or invite along to a dedicated training sessions for potentially new players to the club.

These sessions for new players will increase in April, May and June and be held on a regular basis during this period.

MANAGERS AND COACHES - MALE AND FEMALE

The club would love to hear from anyone who is interested in volunteering to manage, coach or support one of our young teams and inspire young children.

You do not need to be of premier league standard but do need to be committed and want to give something back to children in your local community.

The club will help and support you on your coaching journey with football qualifications should you wish to take them whilst offering regular in house CPD meetings and managers meetings.

SATURDAY MORNING FUN CLUB - EACH WEEK AT 9AM ON OUR GRASS PITCHES

An introduction to football in a Fun, Safe and Fully inclusive environment for children age 5-10 with qualified coaches.

FOR MORE DETAILS ON ANY OF THE ABOVE OPPORTUNITIES PLEASE CONTACT :

07841696579

chairman@afcstoneham.co.uk

Christchurch preview - Sat March 4th

AFC Stoneham are back on the road following a disappointing result last week as they take on an in-form Christchurch side in the Wessex Premier League.

 Christchurch:

 The home team come into this game winning four of their last five matches, including a 1-0 win away from home last time out against United Services Portsmouth.

 A wonder-goal from centre back Chris Speers was enough for Christchurch to return home with all three points, moving them up into 9th position in the table.

 However, the Church will be without Fawzi Saadi for this clash as he received a straight red against U.S Portsmouth, a player who has played 19 games so far for them this season.

 Christchurch have lost their top scorer Eder Batista, who has moved to Fareham Tow following his 11 goals this season, meaning that they have found goals hard to come by since his departure and will need other players to step up to get past a solid Stoneham defence.

 AFC Stoneham:

 The Purps come into this clash off the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to a resilient Baffins Milton Rovers, who are the first team to come away from Stoneham Lane in the league this season with a point.

 Duarte Martins scored his 34th goal on his 34th start for the club, but that wasn’t enough as Roux Hardcastle in goal proved to be a problem for Stoneham yet again this season.

 Despite not losing a game in their last 14 league matches, Stoneham have slipped down into third for the first time since early January, showing how tight it is at the top of the table.

 Stoneham do not have the best record away record, especially compared to their home, but will almost certainly prove a tricky customer at Christchurch in the bid to move back into second and ‘do the double’ over the Church this season.

 LastMeetings:

 17/12/22 AFC Stoneham 2-0 Christchurch (PREM)

 15/03/22- AFC Stoneham 5-0 Christchurch (PREM)

 02/11/21- Christchurch 0-5 AFC Stoneham (PREM)

 17/08/19- AFC Stoneham 0-1 Christchurch (PREM)

 By Freddie Dorman

 

 

Sunday Feb 26th round up

Sunday Round Up

U7 Panthers

Well done today boys against a good Alresford Town U8 Lions. Thought you all battled and fought for each other, even when they had the extra two players on.

Jacob was superb in goal today with some important saves and great distribution. Morgan defended brilliantly today, with some great tackles and great passing out from the back.

Evan and Edison was brilliant in midfield, controlling the game, driving with the ball, with Evan grabbing himself 2 magic moments. Matthew and Seth worked tirelessly up front against some strong defending. Seth grabbing 2 magical moments. But my man of the match went to Harley, his workrate, passing and shooting was outstanding today, and grabbed himself 4 magical moments. Well done Harley, well done all of you today.

U8 Panthers

Tough match for the Panthers today v Stoneham Jaguars U9. The opposition were strong and defended well while finding some good passes.

The Panthers battled throughout the match, never giving up, making some great plays and working together as a team. Billy, Oscar, Vinnie and Logan were brilliant breaking up play and looking up to find their teammates.

Lots of shots on target were stopped by the oppositions goalkeeper who made a number of great saves whilst at the other end Fraser made some amazing stops.

Goals came from Freddie with a great assist from Jack, Hayden and Cooper.

Man of the match went to Manny for sticking to the plan he was given by Chris before the match.

U9 Spitfires

U9 Spitfires came up against a very good FC Salisbury side and played on another level from the start.

Early pressing resulted in winning possession back and some great passing resulted in a free kick being awarded which was excellently taken by Brody Hibberd and this was followed by some great pressure from Mazen Ismael to double the lead with a sweet strike in the corner. The Spitfires continued to move the ball well and from another free kick Leo Duncalfe found the bottom corner.

FC Salisbury pulled a goal back just before half time but immediately as the 2nd half started Elliott Finch got on the end of a corner to strike in the corner to extend the lead. FC Salisbury did fight back with 2 goals but the boys defended superbly.

POM was tough as everyone played their part today but Brody Hibberd took the accolade as chased and pressed all game.

Great performance boys and with just 1 sub today aswell.

U9 Panthers

Unlucky today boys against a very good Millbrook side. I thought you matched them for nearly 3qtrs. It was just their overall passing was a bit better than ours. That’s what we keep saying use the ball, get into space, pass and move. All these will help you be a better team. That’s why we concentrate on this at training. The work rate and energy was great most of the time, but you have to keep up the energy in every Qtr. On the positive side, as we did have chances and unluckily hit the woodwork on two or three occasions, so if they went in, things could have been different. Man of match went to Henry, apart from his goal, his passing, tackling and overall work rate was outstanding today, never gave up and kept their midfield very quiet today. Well done Henry, well done all of you today. Special mention to David, his saves again, kept us in the game.

U11 Jaguars

AFC Stoneham U11 Jaguars vs Romsey Town Youth U11 Panthers

The Jags knew today's game would be difficult having lost to Romsey Town earlier in the season.

After a bright start the Jags took the lead after a corner from Billy fell to Egit who hit home

2 minutes later, a well worked run and finish from Harry B extended the lead for the Jags.

Romsey had chances, but the Jags defence stayed strong. When the ball did get through goalkeeper Riley was on hand to make a series of saves including rushing off his line to make a fantastic 1v1 block.

In the second half the Jags midfield and defensive players worked hard to win every ball and push for another goal.

Some great corners and runs from Alex created chances but the Romsey defence stayed strong.

At the other end Riley continued to keep Romsey out with some impressive saves.

It was a very tight half, both teams could have scored but the next goal didn't come until 5 minutes before the end when Harry B would score his second.

Parents player of the week goes to Riley thanks to a fantastic display in goal making sure of the well deserved cleansheet 🫷

Coaches player of the week goes to Alex.

Worked hard all game, pushing the team forward but also tracking back to help his defensive teammates when needed

Jag of the week goes to Will who's attitude towards training and matchdays and willingness to ask questions of the coaching team to improve his game is a good example to the rest of the team.

U11 Spitfires

A blistering start to this cup game against PACE saw the U11 Spitfires 1-0 in the first minute with a great finish from Ethan.Stoneham then went on to control the game, defending well and playing some good football to score a further two goals . Goals today came from man of the match Ethan x 2, Alfie B and Alfie L x2.

U11 Wolves

U11 Wolves v Hythe & Dibden Cyclones

In games such as these when it's the attack that draws all the attention, it's easy to forget those with a defensive role who today put in a faultless display. So it's a huge 'Well Done' to Dominik, Dylan, Frankie, Harry, Dash, Rayane and Jude for being disciplined. keeping concentration and making good decisions.

Further forward, it was Hot Shot Harrison who remains our leading scorer for the season, but for shooting power and accuracy it's midfielder Evan who leads the way and becomes our latest Wolf of the Week. Both players have pushed hard for a starting place and both took full advantage of their opportunity today.

Wide players were full of running with Dylan and Dash both providing quality crosses from good positions.

Muhammed was once again a key provider and finisher and his confidence continues to grow. Fuku showed his combination of strength and touch that makes him so difficult to play against, while Adam was rewarded today for once again taking up excellent positions in the front line.

Congratulations Wolves!

U12 Jaguars

AFC Stoneham Youth Jaguars 2

Baddesley Park Youth Templars 1

The Jaguars finally got back to winning ways with a hard fought victory over the obdurate Templars in the most dramatic fashion.

Perhaps it was the early morning kick off, but the hosts lacked the energy and intensity of previous weeks in the first half. Chances were at a premium and both keepers remained largely untroubled for the first quarter. Both teams greater threats were down the Jags left side, and so the game became a battle for supremacy along that channel. Freddie began to make serious inroads against an extremely physical defence, and was hauled down on several occasions when he had beaten his man. Isaac and Daniel proved to be their normal stoic selves when questions were asked of the Jags defence, whilst Matteo began to find his feet in the centre of the park, threading through to Elliot and Krish some really intelligent balls that couldn’t quite be capitalised on. Then, the breakthrough. Some lovely combination play down the right saw Charlie released out wide, whose perfect cross from the byline picked out Elliot to finish calmly into the corner. It was fair reward for the Jags probing attacks and growing level of ascendancy in the game. Freddie continued to prove problematic to the Templars right back and went close on several occasions, Krish, Rob, Ramesses and Fred worked hard to gain physical superiority in the centre, and Jamie defended skilfully on a number of occasions to snuff out the threat of the left winger. However, just before half time the visitors caught the hosts napping, and a lack of defensive structure saw the visitors burst through the centre to equalise.

The goal was against the run of play, but actually served as a wake up call at half time. The Jaguars returned to the field to produce a much improved performance in the second half. Every player stepped up their intensity and the chances began to flow. Neat footwork from John provided Elliot with a chance which was snuffed out, and the visiting No.6 saved the Templars on countless occasions with last ditch blocks and tackles when a goal seemed a certainty. When the No.6 wasn’t in the way, the Templars goalkeeper was, tipping Elliot’s free kick onto the bar, and blocking several other of his shots. Fred blasted wide, Freddie continued to beat his man but found the defence in determined mood, and Matteo timed a run perfectly into the six yard box only to see his header rebound off the post and to safety. Sniffing blood, the Jaguars moved in for the kill. Whilst Archie and Isaac kept things tied up at the back, Charlie was switched to right back to provide a further attacking option. He made numerous runs and overlaps, and just missed out on connecting with a dangerous cross when free in front of goal. Finally, in the dying seconds, Freddie took the ball out wide, beat his man, lost the ball to second defender but then won it back before cutting inside to blast underneath the visiting goalkeeper with the aid of a slight deflection. It turned out to be the last kick of the game.

Having been on the other end of a last minute loss last week, the relief and happiness was palpable. Respect is something the management team have been working hard to imbue in to the players, and so, arguably, the finest moment of the game was seeing several of the Jaguars not celebrating the victory but commiserate with the disconsolate visiting goalkeeper. A very well done to those boys, and to the team for a never-say-die attitude. Up the Jags!

U13 Panthers

Under 13 Panthers continued our good run today.

We started the game quickly with the right attitude and went into half time 4 goals to the good.

We made lots of changes and tried a few players in different positions in the 2nd half and became a bit sloppy at times needing Ryan to pull of a few important saves in goal. We ran out 9-2 winners and our scorers today were Ewan Halliday with 3, Sam Robinson with 2 and singles from Liam Holloway, Isaac Webb, Joe Taylor and Alfie Weldon.

Man of the match went to Ewan for another good display.

U13 Spitfires

U13 Spitfires played away to 2nd in the league Sholing in great game of football played in the right spirit by both teams.

Some great early possession/passing by the Spitfires found them deservedly ahead through Ethan Cripps striking in the corner followed closing by Zach Marshman doubling the lead with another good strike. Sholing came into the game and pulled a goal back and then just before half time got an equaliser.

2nd half the boys started with the same intensity and went back ahead when Harry Halligan looped the ball over their keeper to make it 3-2.

Sholing then got level after a long ball split open our defence followed closely by a similar ball to put us 4-3 behind. The boys pressed for an equaliser which their performance deserved by against the run of play another through ball left us exposed at the back and somehow we were 5-3 down which was the final score.

I couldn’t have asked anymore from the boys today and so proud of them all. POM was shared between Harley Marjason & Harry Halligan who were both at the centre of all our attacks today.

Well done to all of our teams!

#upthepurps

Saturday Feb 25th round up

Saturday Round Up

AFC Stoneham U7 Tigers

This mornings game was against a good attacking side who had some skillful players which had shot after shot.The boys done well to stay in the game,narrowly being edged out on the result the boys worked hard .Some good passing and solid tackles. MOTM FINN

A solid performance in goal pulling off some great saves,also on the pitch with some Big tackles.

U7 Hurricanes

Good game today for the boys with some great passing and tackling on display the boys all played really well, Ryder created a great assist and there was some great team work on show, Parents Player was awarded to Leo who got a Hactrick of magical moments & motm went to George for pulling off some great saves.

U7 Wolves

Today's fixture was the hotly anticipated AFC Stoneham derby between the Wolves and the Hurricanes. These boys know all about each other and the form both sides are in suggested it was going to a close fought, competitive match.

Hurricanes started the stronger; Vinnie and Fyfe passed the ball around well but couldn't find a clear opening, Harry had to adapt to the Hurricanes passing game and Jacob went toe to toe with this week's tricky forward. The Wolves were a little short of their normal intensity and gave themselves a two goal hill to climb.

All change for both sides into Q2 and the midfield combo of Ollie and Jack injected some energy into our attacking play. Louie dominated defensively and gave nothing away and Shay threatened going forward with the Hurricanes having to bunch up to keep him out. It was Jack who got us back in contention. Ollie ran towards goal and committed a couple of defenders and then laid off to Jack who knocked it in off the post and wheeled away with the golf swing.

Q3 was a cagey affair, both sides clearly felt the next goal was crucial. Fyfe forced a good save from a free kick, Vinnie found a few openings and Harry hustled but the keeper was up to the challenge each time. Right at the end the Hurricanes drew Jacob out to engage but then laid it into the path of their striker to complete his hattrick. A killer blow which could have easily seen us capitulate from there.

The Wolves aren't beaten that easily though and came out all guns blazing in Q4. Jack was so unlucky to only find the crossbar from a great free kick. Louie was excellent in defense and kept us in possession which released Jack for a run down the wing who in turn played in Ollie, whose superb finish set up a tense finish. With the clock ticking down, it looked like the Hurricanes would hold us out, chances came and went but with the referee looking at his watch Shay played a perfectly weighted pass and that man Ollie made no mistake.

An excellent match with the right result in the end. Both sides can be really proud of the football they played and showed why they are the best two sides in the division. Louie was a tower in defense today and picked up the coaches MoM and Ollie's two goals and an assist capped a great performance from him and he rightly took the fan's award.

U8 Lionesses

Lionesses 12-9 Hythe

The score is yet to be verified, let’s just say there were loads of goals and we definitely won

Even with that delayed start (to be fair their manager was working nights and didnt get in till 6am) the girls were buzzing and lively and really focused.

Sadie was brilliantly calm and contained and pulled off a couple of great saves and blocks.

Abbie battled HARD and not only scored 5 goals, she won us loads of corners

Scarlett was yet again on fire. I think everyone can see how much she has stepped up over the last few games and watching her track back to defend and work her way through to score was

The girls were tasked with not having a stationary defender and that, along with the fast pitch, meant we were able to do what we do best, press, make chances for each other and attack.

Hythe were great opponents . Thank you.

What a game! Well done girls

U9 JPL Athletic

Outstanding day!! Our U8’s playing a year up U9’s notched up their 4th win of the JPL season in simply fantastic style..some of the best football I’ve seen in a long while at this age was one of the quotes..Billie ‘I’m on FIRE’ Christopher with 5 goals was simply in the mood for scoring..Charlie Catt notching 2 ( one of which was a worldly) was in a skill full playmaking mood spraying balls all over the park..Ollie Ledger marauding down the left wing scored 2 super goals , The ever busy and skilful James Cooper with 1..abley backed up by the ever industrious Lincoln and Freddie who both went looking for their first JPL goals..and came ohhhhh so close..Logan skilfully glued everything together whilst the safest hands in Hampshire AKA Wilf and the best defender James Freeman kept the Pro-Co team at bay..well played boys quite fabulous performance by everybody!! Enjoy your weekends..Billie Christopher MOTM!!

U11 Lionesses

Well done to the girls today on their 4-1 win!

The game started well with both teams working the play up and down the pitch but it was the Finches who took the lead within the first 10 minutes with a cracking goal shot straight over the keeper, leaving the lionesses chasing back, which they did very well.

As play carried on the ball fell to Sophia who took a shot which got deflected in to make it 1-1. This gave the girls some fire in their bellies and they all kept on fighting for every ball and the work paid off when Lola scored just before half time leaving us starting the second half 2-1 up.

Second half saw all the girls fired up, they played well as a team, looking for those passes and creating some great opportunities which eventually came to April with an excellent strike which landed in the top corner.

As the girls carried on fighting we saw Hettie seal the win with a run from her own half to finally score her 1st well deserved goal of the season!

Huge thanks for Floss, Mille and Grace for stepping up to take a turn in goal with POM going to Sophia.

Again well done girls, a great effort shown by all today!

AFC Stoneham Girls Panthers U11 v Whiteley Merlins

In a completely one side game, the Panthers took the lead after a few minutes when Mimi lobbed the Merlin’s keeper.

Georgia doubled the lead running through the visitors defence before Lyra made it three with a nice finish. Jess P made it four with another nice finish.

The Merlin’s bought on another player using the parity rule but any attacks were defended well by Ilyse and Victoria giving Abigail a very quiet afternoon.

Emily scored her first goal of the season to make it 5.

Lyra then scored twice to seal her first ever hat trick.

The Merlin’s added another player under the parity rule before Jess H made it 8.

Two goals apiece followed from Aimee and Mirela with a Jess H penalty sandwiched in the middle.

Merlins never stopped and were great sports.

Away team POM - Victoria

Parents POM - Lyra

Managers POM - Aimee

U16 Knights

U16 Knights won on penalties against Champion Sports in semi final of the cup. Today the boys weren’t at their best and if I am honest the opposition were the better side. However, the boys kept battling didn’t give up and in the end we kept our cool in the shout (with a great last penalty save from Fred ). We are in the final boys!!! .

MOM goes to Adrian. Worked his socks off all game, broke up the play and kept the midfield going. Well done also to the boys at the back solid and kept us in the game.

Final here we come and well done again Boys!!!

Well done to everyone !

#upthepurps


Summer tournament 2023

Dear All

AFC Stoneham is holding our Summer tournament for both boys and girls teams over the weekend of July 1st and 2nd 2023. We would very much like to invite your club and team along.

This will be for U7, U8, U11, U12 teams on the Saturday followed by U9, U10, U13, U14 teams on the Sunday. In addition there will be a U15 Girls tournament on the Saturday afternoon

Teams will be based on the 2023/24 season. i.e. if Under 8s this season 2022/23 then they should be entered as Under 9s for the tournament. 

Entry can be made via purpslive.co.uk following a very simple entry process.  

The format for all age groups will be dependent on the number of teams entering and all participating teams will be advised closer to the tournament date.

The entry fee will be £40 per team entering on or before 31 March rising to £45 for any teams entering after this date. Places are limited and will be on a first come, first serve basis.

The event is Hampshire FA sanctioned and all participating teams must be affiliated to their county FA, and their affiliation number is to be provided.

The closing date for all entries will be Monday 12th June 2023 with team withdrawals after this date forfeiting their entry fee.

The event is an invitational event and the organisers reserve the right as to acceptance of teams. 

An email confirmation with information, tournament rules and directions to the ground will be sent to all participating teams approximately 1- 2 weeks before the tournament commences. Tournament programme will cost £3 on the day

We very much hope your club/team can participate in our tournament and look forward to seeing you over the two days.

If we can help before then please contact chairman@afcstoneham.co.uk

Baffins preview - Saturday Feb 25th

AFC Stoneham’s unbeaten home record is on the line again when they take on Baffins Milton Rovers side.

 AFC Stoneham:

Stoneham are back at home after two league games on the road, beating Moneyfields and most recently Horndean in an important match at the top of the table.

Liam Callaghan’s goal was enough to separate the two sides and for the Purp’s to take all three points back to Stoneham Lane.

 They come into this game top of the recent form guide and have won six games on the bounce.

Baffins Milton Rovers:

 The away side also come into this game is flying form, winning five of their last seven in all competitions.

They most recently beat Lymington Town of the Southern League Division One South 7-6 on penalties in the Hampshire Senior Cup, progressing to the next round in a shock upset.

However, they are still without their top scorer Tom Vincent who suffered a broken cheek and fractured jaw in their defeat to Bemerton on January 21st.

This means their main threat up top comes from their second highest scorer Kelvin Robinson, a player who has scored 11 goals this season and who links up well with captain Jason Parish.

Last Five Meetings:

 24/01/23 - AFC Stoneham 1-1 Baffins Milton Rovers (WLC)

Baffins win 4-5 on penalties.

16/08/22 - Baffins Milton Rovers 0-3 AFC Stoneham (PREM)

16/02/22 - Baffins Milton Rovers 2-3 AFC Stoneham (PREM)

26/10/21 - AFC Stoneham 3-0 Baffins Milton Rovers (PREM)

02/09/20 - Baffins Milton Rovers 1-2 AFC Stoneham (FA CUP)

By Freddie Dorman


Sunday Feb 19th round up

Sunday Round Up

U7 Panthers

Panthers U7 match report

Well done today boys.

Another good win against a physical Colden Common U8 team. Though you all battled superbly, especially with only 1 sub and the hot weather. Jacob had little to do, but his goal kicks and distribution were great. Morgan defended brilliantly with some great runs up field. Evan & Edison were excellent in midfield, tackling, passing and shooting, with 1 magic moment from Evan. Matthew lead the line well, with some important tackles, and also managed to get a brace. But my man of the match went to Seth. Your work rate, strength on the ball and shooting was outstanding today, with a hat trick of magical moments. Well

done Seth, well done all of you today for not giving up.

U8 Panthers

Disappointing late afternoon game today. Some early mistakes meant that we were chasing the game very early on. Because of their physicality Hythe and Dibden U9 Dynamites made it challenging to close down or break away on goal. Despite the challenging game the Panther U8 boys battled until the end and managed to recover a couple of goals, one from Hayden and another from Jack, which meant there was only one goal difference at the final whistle. Player of the Match went to Hayden for his effort, work rate and determination.

U9 Panthers

Well done today boys, that was a hard game. Considering we only had 1 sub and in that heat and sun, you all done brilliantly. Your battling, work rate and energy was outstanding.

As I said after the game, I’m only going to give the MOM trophy if you deserved it, and David, you thoroughly deserved it this week, even if you did get it last week. That penalty save and about a dozen first class saves

Special mention to Jenson and Henry for their magical moments.

Well done all of you for not giving up.

U9 Spitfires

Spitfires came up against St Francis Knights and had their trademark slow start which found themselves behind but then struck back through Brody Hibberd and an excellent Elliott Finch free kick. Some heroic Goalkeeping from Hector Hobbs kept the opposition at bay while there was a constant threat upfront from Spitfires, but in the 4th quarter the opposition pressure broke through.

POM went to Elliott Finch.

Unlucky though boys, up until the last 10 mins you were definitely in this game, we go again next week!

U9 Wolves

AFC STONEHAM Wolves v Salisbury

After a couple of weeks where we had dropped our levels of performances and play! We today bounced back to the levels we've produced for most of the season!! An outstanding show of what football is about from both sets of teams! Attitude and playing positively on the front foot.

So many positives to take from today. Both Goalkeepers were outstanding when between the sticks.

Whoever played up front pressed and worked tirelessly for the team backed up by the reading of the game from midfield.

So proud of each and every single player today. We outplayed a very strong team. Caleb on his return to the team after 18months away scoring 2 and equally as a whole the team working wonders! Special mention to Harrison, Reggie and Tayo who were incredible in how they played today. However MOM went to TOM NOSS who showed me exactly what I had been asking from him today and his attitude and effort added to his passing decisions and grafting back to make important tackles.

Well Done Tom

And well done WOLVES

U11 Jaguars

AFC Stoneham U11 Jaguars vs Littleton Juniors Youth U11 Ospreys

A dominant display from start to finish for the Jags today.

Early goals from Wezi and Egit set the tone for what would be one of the best Jags performance so far this season.

Harry B added to the goals thanks to some great passing and running along the wing from Sammy.

In the second half the goals kept coming.

Egit and Wezi adding to their tally and Zohair heading in from a corner.

The goal of the game came from Sammy, cutting in from the wing before rifleing the ball home from the edge of the area.

It wasn't all about the attack though, the defensive team stayed strong and worked hard as a unit to protect Riley in goal and to make sure of the well deserved cleansheet.

A great all-round team effort today, every player playing their part!

Parents player of the week goes to Sammy, an amazing performance all over the pitch rounded off with a cracking goal

Coaches player of the week goes to Sammy, difficult to choose anyone else. Did exactly what was asked of him going forward as well as tracking back with some amazing last ditch tackling.

Jag of the week goes to Jacob. Worked hard in training and played an important part in today's cleansheet. Was asked to play in a more defensive role than usual and never once looked uncomfortable playing out from the back

U11 Spitfires

The U11 Spitfires produced a mature performance in their cup game today against AFC Lakeside to come out winners. The boys played some pleasing football by passing the ball around well on a very uneven pitch. Hat tricks came from Ethan and Freddie, with Alfie L scoring two. Other goals came from Charlie, James, Alfie B, Bushy and Forbes. Man of the match went to Forbes for some positive runs forward and passing throughout the game.

U11 Wolves

It was smiling faces on a day of sunshine with the Wolves once again performing well as a team, this time against a high pressing opposition.

Central defenders Fuku and Alfie needed to be calm and decisive in winning the ball then maintaining possession and playing intelligent forward passes.

Once again Dominik had to make a great save early on, this time tipping a fierce shot over the bar.

Dylan and Harry and later Jude were closing down well in their wide positions and supporting our counter attacks that were often started by the excellent midfield pairing of Jude and Rayane and finished by great interplay between the skillful Adam and the amazing Muhammed who is our Wolf of the Week.

There were good performances also from today's subs who are both pushing hard for a starting place. Evan was at his best as the tough left-sided attacking midfielder and was unlucky not to score from a powerful long range shot, while Harrison came deeper to try and win the ball and drive forwards and was often putting pressure on opposition defenders.

Well done Wolves! We are so proud of you all.

U12 Jaguars

Hamble Club Youth U12 Spitfires 2

AFC Stoneham U12 Jaguars 1

In the Spitfires’ managers own words, the Jaguars put in a complete team performance that deserved to take the three points. Instead, the Jaguars went down to late goal from distance to leave empty handed against their hosts, but should be immensely proud of a performance that saw the opposition management and supporters claim the Jaguars to be the best team they have played against this season.

The game was extremely competitive from the off. The hosts, a big, powerful team, controlled the early possession, but a defence extremely well organised by Isaac saw the only threat as hopeful shots from distance. By degrees, the visitors began to assert their authority on the game as the first half went on. The combination of Archie and Freddie down the left had the Hamble defence constantly uneasy, whilst Elliot and Charlie led the press in knocking the Spitfires out of their stride. The midfield trio of Krish, Matteo and Fred bossed the centre of the park, more than matching their opponents for physicality and ability. Chances were at a premium at both ends and both teams worked hard to negate each other’s threats down the flanks. Jamie and John proved adept in their defensive positioning and calmness on the ball, and one particular tackle from Jamie on their tallest player was more akin to a woodcutter felling a large oak tree.

At the beginning of the second half, Elliot once again set the tempo by charging down the kick off to unsettle their midfield. The Jaguars continued with their relentless pressing game and the chances started to flow. Matteo acrobatically bicycle-kicked an effort just wide, Krish was unlucky with a shot from distance, Archie saw a drilled shot from outside the box tipped over and Elliot hit the bar from a free kick. Then, at last, the pressure told, when Fred, who had been timing his runs into the box to perfection throughout, ran onto a ball and rifled it superbly into the corner for his first Jags goal. It was the least the visitors deserved having dominated most of the game to that point.

However, the level of energy and effort that the Jaguars had poured into the game in warm conditions began to take its toll, and the hosts found themselves with a little more time and space. It was Hamble that now carried the danger. Finn made two exceptional saves, having enjoyed a relatively quiet game to that point. Isaac put in a phenomenal block when a goal looked certain, and both Hamble wingers struggled hard to gain any real advantage over the obdurate Archie or Jamie. After a couple of goal mouth scrambles, a chance fell to a Hamble midfielder to blast in; then in the final two minutes the hosts centre forward smashed an unstoppable shot in from distance to take a fortuitous win.

The Jaguars may have left the pitch out on their feet, but in dominating a team unbeaten and top of the league, they have yet again provided a performance that belies their position in the table. Up the Jags!

U13 Spitfires

Spitfires travelled down the road to play away to BTC Pumas in a game of 2 halves. Spitfires were the better team in the 1st half and eventually took the lead through Henry Fawcett after chasing a lost cause to tap home into an empty after a mix up with their keeper.

Harley Marjason almost doubled the lead with a great header from a free kick but hit the outside of the post.

2nd half was very strange and the boys were flat and never really created anything. BTC got their equaliser and if not for a fantastic save by joint POM Morgan Fryer would have gone ahead. There were very few chances created in the 2nd half and game ended in a draw. Archie McQuiston was the other shared POM after a faultless 1st half display and can’t recall the opposition getting past him in the 1st half.

U13 Panthers

Under 13 Panthers picked up another win today as we try and push for promotion.

We started brightly and took the lead through Lucas before a lapse in concentration allowed our opposition to equalise.

We came out in the second half with a lot more pace in our game and applied more pressure resulting in a hatrick for Sam Robbo and a brace for Ewan Halliday.

The game finished 6-1.

Man of the Match went to Cole today, he was strong and commanding in defence when called upon, made some brilliant driving runs out with the ball and played the pass of the game.

U16 Spitfires

Spitfires played home to Hamble United. Drew 4-4 but boys were hard done by as deserved to win the game. Aaron Batista put us ahead from the penalty spot followed by a 2nd after a superb through ball and cooly finished. Hamble pulled 1 back only for POM Jack Polkinghorne to regain our 2 goal lead.

2nd half boys started well and went 4-1 ahead after our 2nd penalty this time scored by Ollie Payne. Sadly the game ended in a draw which was harsh on the boys but proud how they all handled themselves in a difficult/physical game!

U18 United won 1-0 at Bashley to record a great win with Jude Cowan scoring the only goal of the game.

Well done to all of our teams !

Please share

#upthepurps


Saturday Feb 18th round up

Saturday Round Up

AFC Stoneham Tigers U7'S

Was a slow start from us ,we done well to get ourselves back into the game with some good defending and saves.We got infront with some good passing but let the other team back into it.The boys didn't really get going today ,there was lots of energy but it didn't fall into place ,but they never gave up and carried on until the final whistle.

Overall for the game to finish equal was about fair.

MOTM: ALEX

U7 Hurricanes

Great match for the boys, some great passing and tackling on display and the boys really got stuck In, Haseeb and caleb managed to hit the onion bag twice each.

Today parents player went to Ryder who put his all in to the game and had a moment of magic, MOTM went to Leo with a magical moment and a brilliant assist and then he went and switched it up and played in a different position in the last quarter and was a menace in defence.

U7 Wolves

Wyvern were today's challenge for the Wolves and we were treated to another entertaining match.

Wyvern caught us half asleep in the first minute to take the lead but we soon took control of possession with Jack and Shay working hard and playing some confident, high quality football. The ever menacing Ollie got free and got us level with a well placed shot. A rare appearance in goal for Jacob in Q2 and Wyvern forced him into several excellent saves including a great stop from a free kick. Vinnie played a deeper role than usual and his determination and quick feet in midfield got us up the pitch time and again. A lesson for all to play to the whistle followed when everyone stopped expecting a free kick to be given, everyone except Harry who stayed alive to find the net.

Into the second half with all to play for and Jack found space on the right hand side for a slide-rule pass for a delighted Louie to tap in. Jacob's strong tackling started a counter attack which saw Ollie run the length of the pitch for a terrific moment. Jack got in and calmly slotted one before turning provider for Ollie to claim his hat trick. We tired a little towards the end and lost a bit of shape and with it a few goals from Wyvern but Harry stole in from a big goal kick from Ollie to cap another brilliant team performance. So pleased with the work rate and passing interplay on show on a consistent basis from this team, their awareness of danger and calmness in front of goal is getting great results and they players are developing individually and as a team.

With an all action display, two assists and a goal Jack took the coaches award and for a great display in goal and in defense Jacob won the fans award but all the other boys will rightly feel they deserved it today!

U10 Girls Panthers

AFC Stoneham U10 Panthers 4 Hartley Wintney U10 Tigers 1

The Panthers have been working hard in training over the last few weeks and we saw the benefits put into practice with some brilliant passing and ball control today.

A goal from the opposition in the first quarter made the Panthers come back fighting in the second, with a quick equaliser by Alisha (her 20th of the season) followed by a fantastic goal from Dolcie. Tenacious running from Grace brought the third goal, and put us in a strong position going into the break.

The Panthers had great composure and the new defensive midfield position along with excellent defending gave us the foundation to create even more chances, with great wing play.

The final quarter saw a first with Freya moving from her usual centre half position to centre forward, where she dominated the defence. A lot of unselfish play finally resulted in the chance we were all hoping for and a shot by Freya brought the final score to 4-1. Well done girls fantastic result against a team that puts us out of the cup earlier in the season. Fantastic progress.

Opposition Player of the Match: Alisha

Panther of the Week; Ngoneh

Panthers Girls U11

Hythe & Dibden Lynx 0

AFC Stoneham Panthers u11. 4

In what could have been a tricky fixture, the Panthers produced a dominant display which ended in a convincing win.

Rosie was asked to mark Hythe’s strongest player - who caused us numerous problems at home - and did a brilliant job preventing her having time on the ball.

The first quarter of the game was quite even until Mirela broke through from midfield to open the scoring.

A brilliant pass from Emily then found Lyra who doubled the lead after her first effort was saved.

Mirela was having her best game for a while and got back to clear a dangerous attack before making the score 0-3. Still no smile though!

Hythe are a good team and did look dangerous on the attack but Ilyse and Victoria were dominant at the back and any chances they created were confidently saved by Abigail.

After a strong tackle from Aimee, Georgia ran through to make the score 0-4 and was unlucky no to get another late on.

Away team POM - Georgia

Parents POM - Mirela

Managers POM - Emily

U12 Girls Tornadoes

AFC Stoneham Tornadoes 3

AFC Porchester 1

Really good game of football by both teams, after a very close first half which looked like be 0-0 we had a free kick given for a foul on Millie. Amelie step up to take it and scored with a very well taken free kick to make it 1-0 at half time.

Second half the Stoneham girls come out and played really well. Millie Fear making it 2-0 to Stoneham. With 3 minutes to go the game looked over but we didnt clear our line and Porchester made it 2-1. It looked like a nervous last 2 mins but Millie Fear with some very good footwork scored to make it 3-1,

Well done girls great game

Opposition players of the day Millie Fear and Maddison

Parents player of the day Amelie Williamson

U13 Panthers

Hiltingbury 0

Panthers 2

Scorers: Elsie and Melina

Amazing performance today! We deserved a lot more from it but happy with the win and clean sheet

Could easily have been 4 or 5, really great teamwork today and some lovely play across the pitch. Well done team

Our reserves beat Midhurst 4-0 to move into 2nd place in the league with goals from Lewis Nagle, Paul Sunley and 16 year old Jude Cowan on his Senior debut.

Well done to all of our teams !

#upthepurps


Horndean preview

AFC Stoneham travel away from home for the second game on the bounce when they take on an in-form Horndean side in the Wessex Premier League on Saturday 21st February.

 Horndean:

 High-flying Horndean come into this game off the back of six straight wins, scoring a total of 26 goals in these matches.

 Their most recent victory came away to Cows Sports, beating them 5-0 thanks to a Zackary Willet hattrick and goals from Conor Duffin and Rudi Blankson.

These three goals mean that Willet has netted 32 times in all competitions this season, meaning that he is just one goal away from equalling Stoneham’s top scorer Duarte Martins’ goal tally.

 The Dean’s have the best defensive record in the league this season, conceding just 17 goals in 24 games, a statistic that will be tested against a free-flowing Stoneham attack who want to put some distanced between the two teams.

 

AFC Stoneham:

 ThePurp’s come into this huge game in the race for second in fine form, unbeaten in 12 league games and most recently beating Moneyfields 3-1.

 Goals from Liam Callaghan, Duarte Martins and Lewis Ross won Stoneham the three points on Friday night and put an end to their poor recent away form, something they will want to build upon at Five Heads Park.

 Horndean are just two points behind Stoneham with two games in hand on the Purp’s, making this game of huge significance at the top of the table as both teams battle it out (alongside Bemerton) for second place.

 The last meetings between the two teams shows how tight these games normally are, making this one a contest to keep your eye on as anything could happen.

 

LastMeetings:

 29/01/22- AFC Stoneham 1-3 Horndean (PREM)

 04/09/21- Horndean 0-2 AFC Stoneham (PREM)

 27/10/20- AFC Stoneham 1-3 Horndean (PREM)

 28/01/20- AFC Stoneham 0-0 Horndean (PREM)

 By Freddie Dorman

Academy success at professional clubs

Whilst AFC Stoneham is very much a grassroots community club providing football for boys and girls at all levels we are always very proud when our players move onto professional clubs having played a very small part in their football journey.

We currently have many players training with Southampton, Chelsea, Brighton, Portsmouth, Swindon Town and AFC Bournemouth whilst expecting some of them to progress to signing academy contracts this summer.

From our girls teams six players have progressed into Southampton FC in the last 12 months with four at senior level whilst others have progressed to AFC Bournemouth and Fulham.

With the rapid development at our club amongst the younger girls age groups we are extremely proud to have an amazing eight girls currently in the U11 Southampton FC Elite Training Centre. Seven of them are pictured below in their Saints kit.

Well done girls and to all of our players.

#upthepurps


Moneyfields preview

AFC Stoneham are on the road for the first time in four games as they travel to the Draper Tools Community Stadium to take on Moneyfields on Friday 17th February.

 Moneyfields:

 Playing all home games on a Friday because of ground sharing, the Money’s will look to continue their solid home form as they take on a Stoneham side who don’t travel too well.

 Due to playing their first 13 games of the season away from home, Moneyfields have had a run of home fixtures, with eight out of their last nine being at the Draper Tools Community Stadium.

 In this period, they have picked up 15 points and scored 24 goals, showing why teams don’t want to come here and why they sit in a solid fifth position in the table.

 Their top scorer is former Stoneham man Callum Laycock on 23 goals, who will look to add to his tally and get closer to his former strike partner Duarte Martins on the scoring charts.

 

AFC Stoneham:

 The Purps come into this game off the back of their best result of the season, beating league leaders Portchester 2-1 and subsequently ending their 23-game unbeaten run.

 Goals from Duarte Martins and Liam Callaghan won all three points, meaning that Stoneham have still won every game at home in the league this season.

However, Stoneham’s away form is a juxtaposition to their home results, failing to win on the road on their last three occasions, something that could lengthen when they come up against strong team with a good home record.

 The Purps need to take their home performances on the road with them if they want to challenge at the top, with points on the board being essential as Horndean and Bemerton have games in hand to close in on them.

 

LastMeetings:

 06/12/22 – AFC Stoneham 3-0 Moneyfields (PREM)

 16/04/22- AFC Stoneham 2-0 Moneyfields (PREM)

 18/12/21- Moneyfields 4-1 AFC Stoneham (PREM)

 07/08/21 - Moneyfields 1-3 AFC Stoneham (FA CUP)

 

By Freddie Dorman

 

AFC Portchester match report

AFC Stoneham end Portchester’s unbeaten league run of 23 games without a loss as they beat them 2-1 in a fiercely competitive encounter that had two penalties and a red card.

 ThePurps kept up their streak of winning every league game at Stoneham Lane this season, whilst being the first team in the division to take all three points off the league leaders.

 Stoneham took a two-goal lead thanks to Duarte Martins and a Liam Callaghan penalty, given when a Portchester player produced a Luis Suarez-esque handball on the line, getting himself sent off in the process.

 The uncharacteristically quiet Brett Pitman did slot home a penalty later in the game, but the 10-men of Portchester couldn’t get past the resilient Stoneham defence, meaning that they went home for the first time this season without anything.

 It was a tense start to the game from the top two, with neither team managing to keep hold of the ball, but it was the away side who looked long in the opening stages, only to be met by the linesman’s flag on numerous occasions.

 The left-hand side for Stoneham was their outlet in the early minutes, with a notable effort coming from a brilliant Cade Dyer cross, but the fully stretched Callaghan couldn’t quite turn the ball goal wards.

 Martins also found himself two-on-one early on, with Callaghan in support, but his pass across goal to him had too much on it and the opportunity was wasted.

 However, following good link up play between Scott Hills and Dyer, the ball arrived at the feet of Martins on the penalty spot, who found the bottom-right corner for his 32nd goal of the season.

 The away side could and probably should have levelled the scoring just before half time when the ball found the dangerous Brett Pitman at the back post, but thePurps were let off big time as his shot went high and wide.

 HALF TIME: AFC Stoneham 1-0 AFC Portchester

 There were no changes for either side at the break and the second half started with the Royals pinning Stoneham back and probing for an equaliser.

 But the persistent pressure from the away side did leave them vulnerable at the back and the Purps capitalised on this, when Steven Mowthorpe failed to collect the ball and Callaghan’s header was handballed on the line, winning his side a penalty and Pearce receiving a straight red.

 The man who won the penalty also took it and following a stutter on the run up, he sent the goalkeeper the wrong way and gave Stoneham a two-goal lead.

 Despite the red card, it was Portchester who dominated the rest of the second half as they looked to find a way back into this game and preserve their unbeaten record.

 It didn’t take too long for the league leaders to respond either as they won a penalty of their own after the referee spotted a handball in the box.

 Brett Pitman stepped up to take the penalty and smashed it past Callum Lee for his 39th goal of the season, making it a very nervy last 20 minutes for the home side.

 Substitute Lewis Nagle was causing huge problems for the Portchester defence during the latter stages, with the winger being fouled on multiple times as he looked to counter-attack and give his defence a breather.

The referee added on 5 minutes as the Purps kept the ball in the corner and ran down the clock- a very professional end to the game from a very classy group of players.

 Portchester’s first loss means that Stoneham are now only four points behind them with 13 games remaining, making the final stage of this season one to keep your eye on.

 FULL TIME: AFC Stoneham 2-1 AFC Portchester

 

 AFC Stoneham Starting XI: Lee; Barnes, Wan, Clarke, Dyer; Bainbridge, Welch, Orvis (c); Callaghan, Martins, Hills

 Subs: Thomson, Clements, Ovington, Ross, Nagle

 

AFC Portchester Starting XI:Mowthorpe; Wheeler, Bailey, Woodford, Da Costa, Pearce, Cowan, Pitman (c), Ridge, Jones, Wilkins

 Subs: Barber, Brook, Raine, Williamson, Robinson

 

By Freddie Dorman