Common set up final place

Colden Common 1 Paulsgrove 0 (aet)

COLDEN Common made it to the final of the Hampshire Intermediate Cup, but they had to battle all the way in a blood-and-thunder semi-final against Paulsgrove last Saturday afternoon.

Brimming with intent, Paulsgrove matched their hosts all the way, but a Dean Higgins goal ten minutes from the end of extra-time proved enough to send the hosts into raptures.

Higgins, with two hat-tricks from the last two fixtures under his belt, was definitely the striker in form. But he rarely got a chance to show what he could do on Saturday as he and co-striker Richard Lang were shackled effectively by Paulsgrove's excellent central defensive pair Kevin Brook and Andy Gillespie.

Lang came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half, but his shot rebounded to safety off of the post after he had rounded keeper Steve Mowthorpe.

Common just about edged the first half but Paulsgrove, driven on from midfield by ex-Saints trainee Lloyd Cleife, gave as good as they got after the break. Common had strong penalty appeals turned down when Mowthorpe appeared to push Joe Hodge in the back, but Martin Whittaker and Jason House both came close at the other end.

Extra-time was just as tight as the first 90 minutes, with neither side giving an inch.

With 110 minutes played, Higgins scored the vital goal after feeding Hodge on the left and running onto the return pass. He hit the ball first-time, and although Mowthorpe got his hands to the ball the power of the shot proved too much for him.

Paulsgrove refused to give up. But even though Common had by now lost inspirational centre-back and skipper Simon Lemon to a hamstring pull, they managed to hang on, with Stuart Curtis and Lee Kelly outstanding in a gutsy rearguard action.

It was a game neither side deserved to lose, but it was fitting that a penalty shoot-out wasn't, in the end, required. Common's reward is a trip to Christchurch FC's Hurn Bridge ground for the final on Saturday, April 24th (4.30pm). Their opponents will be Bournemouth League side Southbourne, who beat RS Basingstoke in a penalty shoot-out in the other semi-final.

There's another big game at Main Road on Easter Saturday when Hampshire Division 1 leaders Farnborough North End come visiting. Common are seven points behind in second place, but have five games in hand.

Whoever wins that one will be hot favourites to take the league title.