GOSPORT 1, ALDERSHOT & FARNHAM 6

HOW the pendulum has swung. Last season, Gosport did the double over Aldershot & Farnham when both teams were in Hampshire Division?One.

A&F were keen to return the favour, having already beaten Gosport earlier this season, and with promotion already in the bag, they duly celebrated with a six-goal romp on Saturday.

And this was despite a tricky pitch at Gosport. A&F scored from almost their first attack as Ross Ferguson finished off a fluid passing move through defence and midfield, nipping in to get the deflection to Ben Greene’s strike into the D.

Ian Metcalfe then added to his tally for the season with a smooth back-stick hit, having been set up by Ian Jennings.

Aldershot’s short-corner routine was hampered by the quality of the surface, but following a change of injector, Jennings found the net with a flick that rebounded in off the inside of the post.

Then came an exceptional goal from Jackson Brown. George Rooke’s shot rebounded off a defender and appeared to be going over the bar, but the onrushing Brown stretched to deflect the ball back down and into the net from the tightest of angles.

Jennings topped off the first-half scoring from another short corner, shooting high into the net.

Gosport had managed only limited pressure with a somewhat lethargic front line, but their midfield got them going as half-time approached. A&F changed formation to compensate, moving to three marking defenders and pushing an extra player into the midfield.

Leading 5-0, A&F were hungry for more success in the second half, but it was a story of near misses as a Jennings short-corner strike slipped past the post, Ferguson blazed over the crossbar and Brown missed wide right with a goal begging.

Then a clumsy challenge from Ed Rushmere yielded a short corner at the other end and Gosport scored at the second attempt for their consolation goal.

However, Metcalfe speedily restored the five-goal cushion with a neat strike from Alan Coote’s set-up.

This Saturday, A&F will aim to score the remaining three goals needed to reach their 100 target for the season when they host Southampton University.

A&F squad: Wilkie, Straker, Greene, Rushmere, Strachan, Heaphy, Jervis, Ferguson, Brown, Coote, Buchanan, Yelland, Jennings, Metcalfe, Rooke.