FOUR Marks FC hosted the annual John Rawlings Memorial Cup match against Ropley in very wet weather.

Despite the damp, it was an entertaining game, but a long, hard season seemed to catch up with Four Marks who lost 3-0.

Just seven days before, Four Marks had won the Aldershot Intermediate Cup, beating Farnborough North End in a final that went to extra time and penalties at Aldershot Town’s EBB Stadium. This was after Four Marks had finished a creditable third in the Hampshire Premier League Division One.

Ropley were worthy winners of an eventful John Rawlings Cup match. Just before half-time, a clash of heads resulted in a player from each team making the trip to A&E

Ropley’s scorers were Dave Tutt, Jack Mills (pen) and an own goal.

The match, first held in 1992, is played in memory of John Rawlings, a staunch Four Marks FC member who served as chairman and president.

His daughter, Gillian, married Peter Grant, who played for Ropley, and so the family’s loyalties became divided – hence the idea of playing an annual challenge match between the neighbouring village clubs as a memorial to John.