ALDERSHOT & FARNHAM 9, WEYMOUTH 1

ALDERSHOT & Farnham continued their unbeaten run with a totally dominant performance against lowly Weymouth at Heath End.

Promoted A&F have dropped only two points from the 27 on offer thus far, but might face a stiffer challenge next weekend when they visit Yateley, currently fourth in Hampshire 1.

Ian Metcalfe led the line and gave a man-of-the-match display, scoring four of A&F’s nine goals. Stalking the Weymouth back line from the start, he never gave either centre-back a chance to settle.

His opening goal was the least memorable. Will Heaphy drilled the ball across the area and Metcalfe, unmarked six yards out, sent the keeper the wrong way with a scuffed shot that trickled over the line. “Doesn’t matter how they get there, they all count,” he remarked later.

Marc Hinton, as ever the scrapper, was picking up loose balls around the back and skilfully making inroads.

With the Weymouth defence becoming more and more compressed, A&F swarmed forward and the predatory Metcalfe scored twice from scrambles around the keeper to complete a rapid hat-trick.

Weymouth gamely pulled one back, but the game was already beyond them.

A&F made their superiority in fitness and numbers count and goals from Olly Yelland and Hinton took the tally to six. They almost added a seventh before half-time when, following a short corner, the ball deflected to Charlie Rickett whose rocket-shot from a tight angle whistled inches wide. So close to his first goal for A&F.

Although Aldershot & Farnham added a mere three goals in the second half, their hockey was even better, with Kevin McCafferty given ample time to pull the strings in the centre of the park.

The Weymouth keeper made a classy short-corner save, but Metcalfe’s luck was in as the ball dropped at his feet and he planted it straight back into goal.

Hinton’s incessant scurrying and hounding proved too much for an opponent and Weymouth found themselves down to ten men. Hinton promptly scored with a thunderbolt from the edge of the area and Jonny Groves completed the rout with a typically smart finish.

Aldershot & Farnham had a number of their sponsors in the crowd and the vibrant atmosphere at Heath End contributed to a highly entertaining game.

After the Yateley match this Saturday, A&F host nearest rivals Bournemouth in their last game before Christmas on December 9. The same two fixtures will complete A&F’s campaign in March.

A&F squad: Hall, E Rushmere, Edwards, Weston, Rickett, Strachan, McCafferty, P Rushmere, Heaphy, Long, Jervis, Whelan, Groves, Hinton, Yelland, Metcalfe.