Stockbridge 1, Ringwood Town 6
STOCKBRIDGE crashed out of the Hants Senior Cup last Saturday after a nightmare second round tie with Ringwood. "We never really got going," summed up manager Barry Andrews.
'Bridge got it back to 2-1 with a goal from Paul Sanders after conceding two goals in the opening half hour but Ringwood had a two-goal cushion at the break after scoring again right on the stroke of half time from the penalty spot.
With the advantage of wind and rain in the second half, 'Bridge hopes of mounting a come back were dashed with them falling further behind to a disputed goal within five minutes of the restart.
Said Andrews: "We looked as though we might get back into it but got done by a real sucker punch, it looked well offside but the linesman missed it. After that we changed it around and had a go at them, we had to do something when 4-1 down, but in the end they could have had 12. I didn't have a go at the lads afterwards, they didn't need knocking down, they knew how they played."
Andrews added that Ringwood had two shots in the first half and scored from both of them whilst 'Bridge created a number of scoring chances, including two one-on-one situations, but missed all but one of them.
'Bridge however struggled without any recognised wing backs with Paul Atkins and Andy Chainney both unavailable and an injured Steve Smith on the bench.
Earlier in the week Atkins and Chainney were both on target with Chainney notching the winner from the penalty spot - his sixth goal in five games - in a 2-1 home win in a bruising Andover Open Cup tie with Hants Division Two outfit Alresford Town.
Stockbridge (3-5-2): Morris; Barnard, Savage, Thomson; Bain, Hewitt, Butcher, Curran, Sale; Sean Sanders, Paul Sanders. Subs: Franks (for Thomson 55 mins), Pinchbeck (for Hewitt 55 mins), Hoyle (for Bain 50 mins).
Andover New Street, who had their Hants Premier game away to Portsmouth RN last Saturday postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, have signed much travelled striker Jay Mann from Stockbridge and he will be in the squad for this Saturday's trip to Petersfield.
Overton United also had their Hants Intermediate Cup game at AFC Portchester was also washed out by the weather but four first team players and new signing Rob Tyson turned out for the Reserves in their 5-3 home win against Fawley Res in Hants Combination Two.
Steve Allinson's Overton second string however made hard work of it against the side propping up the rest in the table but won with Tynson notching a hat-trick and Tim Wright weighing in with the other two goals.
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