Hythe & DIBDEN stalwart Dave 'The Boomerang' Cox returned for his FIFTH spell as manager of the club last night - and almost bagged a shock victory in a 1-1 draw with Waterside rivals Blackfield & Langley at Jones Lane.
Indeed Blackfield were indebted to super sub Neil Williams - scorer of a ten-minute hat-trick in their 5-0 win over Ringwood on Saturday - who rescued them a point with a 93rd-minute equaliser.
"That's an excellent result coming off the back of an 8-1 defeat last week and 3-1 reverse on Saturday," said Cox, who will now run the side with Wayne Oakley following Colin Burdle's decision to stand down.
"Having said that, the lads in the dressing room say that it feels like a defeat after coming so close to getting the win."
Hythe tled from the penalty spot after 70 minutes. Ian Harvey was fouled and took the kick himself.
That looked like giving the home side all three points until stoppage time when Andy McIsaac got down the left and crossed for Williams to score from just inside the penalty area.
After netting their first points of the season with a 3-1 success over Hythe last weekend, AFC Aldermaston were desperately unlucky to go down 4-3 at Horndean.
In fact, two goals in a minute just after half-time had given the Berkshire side a 3-1 lead but Steve Kirby's young fledgings couldn't hang onto their advantage.
"I'm absolutely gutted for them," sighed the Aldermaston boss. "They're a very young side and didn't know how to kill the game off but this a very much a learning season for them."
Steve Warwick's 25-yard effort gave Horndean the lead but Barry Smith pegged it back for the visitors just before the break. Then two goals in 60 seconds, the first by Smith (his fourth in three games) and one by James O'Keefe immediately after the restart seemingly put Aldermaston in control.
But Ashley Howard reduced the arrears on the hour mark with a 20-yard left-footed drive and then a crazy own goal by 17-year-old debutant Jason Gemmill put the home side on level terms. Robbie Warwick won it for Horndean ten minutes from time when he rifled the ball home from the edge of the penalty area.
PETERSFIELD Town booked their place in the next round of the FA Vase on Saturday week with an impressive 2-0 victory at East Grinstead in their first qualifying round replay last night.
Graham Game netted on 26 minutes with a clinical finish and Matt Sherry hit a 48th-minute second.
Petersfield are now away to Combined Counties League side Hartley Wintney in the second qualifying round on September 25.
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