ADSL sides stunned Basingstoke teams in all but one of last weekend's quarter-finals of the North Hants Sunday junior cup competitions with one of the biggest upsets coming from Donny Dolan's Vernham Dean with their 4-0 away triumph against table-topping Jasmine's Heroes.
Midfield dynamo Robbie Ablett slotted away two important goals either side of half time after playing a crucial role in Gary Dempster's vital opener. Skipper Colin Hannah then finished things off with an impressive fourth goal in three matches.
Jasmine's hopes of a comeback were thwarted by an impenetrable Vernham defende in which centre backs Guy Terry and Phil Daw were both outstanding and were well supported by the relentless running of Mark Terry and Ed Sclater as Vernham continued their excellent record against Basingstoke sides this season.
Joining them in the hat for the semi-final draw are King Arthur's Way pub side Entertainer. Unbeaten in the fourth division this season, they produced another five-star showing to win 3-0 away against Mahtun.
It was much the same in the quarter-finals of the Chris Price Cup. The ADSL were assured of at least one side in the semi-finals with third division leaders Thruxton winning the all-Andover affair 3-0 against Salto Centre but HTB Old Boys were another local side that pulled out all the stops to gain another impressive away win against Basingstoke opposition with their 3-0 victory at Chineham Res.
The only side to fall by the wayside in Sunday's third round ties was Whitchurch pub team Bell Inn who crashed to a disappointing 5-1 away defeat against Hammer & Tongs.
On the local scene the first division title race was thrown wide open with the top two both losing, with Perry Cocking's table-toppers going down 3-2 away to Nic Anderton's St Mary Bourne and second placing Blaizers crashing 6-1 away to Swallow.
Pete Tunney's Fred Druce took avantage as them regained second spot with a 7-1 win over Gary Sams' young Fire Station side with two goals from Matt Styles and one apiece from Matt Davies, Andy Watts, Sam Rae, Dave Dunn and Colin Rainsbury but champions Ludgershall Sports still look the side they will all have to beat with Simon Poultney's team boosting their goal difference with a 12-1 spanking of Wherwell.
In the second division there were further shocks with Pete Morton's Wallop Wanderers on the receiving end of a 7-0 spanking - their second successive defeat - by Barton Stacey Res , who move into third spot. Crown Ludgershall kept up their challenge with a 10-2 away win against Andover RBL but Dave Milward and Chris Green's Leisure Centre team had to settle for a point in a 1-1 draw with Kev Emerson's Abbotts Ann-based Aldridge Vehicle.s
In the third division, basement boys Andover Saints and Wyke Down both lost again with Saints crashing 7-0 away to Collingbourne but Ian Price's pub team produced another spirited effort before going down by the odd goal in five to Tidworth's Ram Inn.
In the fourth division, leaders Station Hotell beat Borough Arms 4-1 with Colin McDonnell, Julian West and a brace from Rob Dixon clinching the spoils for Brian Austin's side and second placed Abbots Mitre were back to winning ways with a 9-2 thumping of whipping boys Swan Hill in a sporting encounter with Micky Clark grabbing four of the goals, including a first-half hat-trick, Andy Griffiths two and the others coming from David Stockdale, Andy Smith and an own goal.
Pete Newman's Wallop pub side Five Bells recorded their third league win of the season when defeating fellowing strugglers Wolversdene 8-2 away two goals apiece from John Hood, Arron Bullock and Ian Juliff before Gary Smith and Nicky Newman, two of Wallop team's younger players, completed the scoring.
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