PETERSFIELD Hurricanes under-8s continued their impressive run after edging a seven-goal thriller against a decent Beacon Hill Rangers side in the North East Hampshire Youth League at Love Lane on Saturday.

The Hurricanes, who have only lost once since November 23, again revelled in the muddy conditions as they came from behind in fine style to take the spoils.

A hat-trick from top scorer from Alex Garlant and a fourth from in-form Albert Wheeler sealed the win but this was every inch a team effort from a Hurricanes side missing two players.

But they had to do it the hard way as Beacon Hill took the lead in the first quarter. And things almost went from bad to worse as quick-thinking Taylor Pearce raced in behind his stranded goalkeeper James Port to thump the ball clear off the line to thwart what looked like a certain second goal for the visiting Rangers.

And the game arguably turned on that moment as the Hurricanes raced up the other end to level the score, with the diminutive Luca Baragan winning the ball and feeding Garlant who rounded a defender before planting the ball past the Rangers goalkeeper.

The game then swung in favour of the Hurricanes early in the third quarter as Garlant grabbed his second of the game, firing in low with his right foot from a tight angle after tremendous work by Harry Timmons who raced wide and turned back inside before sliding in a fine cross.

With Port effectively keeping the Rangers at bay, aided by timely tackling from Benjamin Oru and the busy Pearce who was noticeable working hard all over the pitch, the Hurricanes stretched their lead at the other end when a scramble in the Beacon Hill penalty area fell first to Finlay Stafferton and then to Wheeler who made no mistake, gleefully thumping the ball home for his 18th goal of the season since joining the side in January.

Back roared Beacon Hill and they were only denied by the muddy goalmouth as a shot cannoned off the post past the despairing dive of Port, the ball hitting the goalkeeper’s back but stopping on the line where Port gratefully pounced on the loose ball.

At the other end, first Stafferton, then Wheeler twice were denied in another goalmouth melee before Beacon Hill reduced the arrears to just one goal.

But Garlant restored the Hurricanes’ two-goal lead as he poked home from on the line for his 28th goal of the season after the Beacon Hill goalkeeper had failed to deal with Wheeler’s inswinging corner, although the Rangers scored again at the death after Port was left exposed to set up a grandstand finish.

Petersfield Hurricanes: Port, Oru, Stafferton, Timmons, Baragan, Wheeler, Garlant, Pearce.