HASLEMERE 3, ADDISCOMBE 2

BACK-to-back promotions in the Regional league is an amazing achievement for Haslemere who also clinched the Hants/Surrey 2 championship with a hard-earned victory over Addiscombe at Woolmer Hill.

The Blues’ primary aim this season was to avoid relegation, yet they have won the league with two games to spare.

To date, they have won 15 out of 20 matches, drawn three and lost two. On the way, they have netted 98 goals, 22 more than the next highest scorers, Honourable Artillery Company.

Last week had been an anticlimax as Sunbury & Walton Hawks shot the Blues down 5-1. Haslemere made no mistake this time, although they had to withstand a gutsy Addiscombe fightback.

Haslemere were dominant at the start and although he was tightly marked throughout the game, Tristan Conoley still managed to open the scoring. Nimble skills earned him a yard of space and the talented forward netted a neat reverse-stick shot.

Andy Powell soon doubled the lead when he coolly rounded the keeper and slotted into an empty net.

Leading 2-0 at half-time, Haslemere appeared to be cruising, but Addiscombe weren’t finished yet and forced a number of short corners. The visitors scored twice and now it was anybody’s game at two apiece.

Haslemere left it late to find the winner, but eventually Graham Stopher placed an accurate shot under the keeper before celebrating in extravagant style.

The game wasn’t over yet, though, and Addiscombe tried to spoil the party with some late short corners. Heroic running from captain Rob Dilworth and Rob Grech closed down several efforts and goalkeeper Nick Short got the biggest roar from the touchline when he stopped a terrific drag effort by the Addiscombe skipper.

And so it’s on to Premier Division 2 next season – one more step up the ladder for Haslemere – with fixtures against the likes of Winchester, Trojans and West Hampstead.

* Haslemere 2nd XI, already the Hampshire 2 champions, lost 4-1 away to the Isle of Wight. Southampton II trounced Andover II 10-1 to claim the second promotion place and the Islanders have to settle for third.

* Alton were hammered 7-1 by Winchester III, but, subject to any league restructuring, should be safe in Hampshire 2.

* Aldershot & Farnham were beaten 2-1 by Bournemouth II. Both teams face relegation from Hampshire 1.

* In Hampshire Women’s Division 1, Aldershot & Farnham beat Gosport 4-2 to remain fourth with one match to go. Mid-table Haslemere lost 1-0 to Southampton II, while Alton went down 1-0 in their vital match at Romsey. Alton, third from bottom, need at least a point from their final fixture at home to Basingstoke II on April 2 to be sure of avoiding the bottom two.