IT WAS Southampton FA B Cup semi-final day at Botley last Saturday with Spar Tec Wessex and Monks Brook emerging victorious from two games contrasting matches.

The Spar Tec match was played in great spirit by two sides hell bent on enjoying themselves. Hedge End Town sit in mid-table in Junior 5 and new they were in for a hard time against top Junior 4 crack squad Spar Tec. But Hedge End came out faster Spar Tec square when Dan Fricker opened the scoring late in the first half. This sparked a Spar Tec revival and they equalised before the interval when Lee Topley finished off a neat diagonal cross to beat 'keeper Mark Powell.

Callum Frampton put Spar Tec in front early in the second half, volleying home after Hedge End failed to clear. Their lead was extended when Topley scored from the spot after a foul on Lee Stevens. Topley them completed his hat-trick flicking in a header from a Pete Doig free-kick to complete the scoring.

The second semi saw Monks Brook demolish Freemantle 6-0. The teams had faced up last week in the League Cup and it was unfortunately a case of familiarity breeds contempt. Freemantle who had beaten Monks Brook 3-1 after extra time last week, trailed 1-0 when Tom Fleming latched onto a scuffed clearance to put Monks Brook ahead.

The second goal caused some controversy when Ian McCarthy put his hands up to protect his face then ran 30 yards to make it 2-0.

Gareth Mack made it three with a bullet header. The pick of the goals was a double header - Tom Fleming flicked onto John McMurray-Williams to score from close range for the fourth. Tempers became frayed and the match was halted for five minutes to allow the teams to calm down.

There were two more goals to come. Fleming was brought down in the box and Lawrie Wilmott fired home the penalty. Man of the match Fleming was again involved with the final strike, beating a defender down the left side before cutting inside and laying off Gareth Taylor for a tap in.

Top of the table clashes are notorious for disciplinary problems, so it was with pleasant surprise that I received a call from ace ref Mike Thomas.

He was given the Junior 3 promotion crunch match between London Airways and Hythe Aztecs Reserves and barely had to do anything all afternoon with both teams showing exemplary behaviour.