BOURNEMOUTH II 3, ALDERSHOT & FARNHAM 2

THIS was it, the title decider. The Hampshire Hockey League Division Two trophy was at stake when Aldershot & Farnham journeyed to Dorset for their final game of the season on Saturday.

But there was to be no fairytale finish as Bournemouth 2nd XI won a five-goal thriller to prolong A&F’s 25 years of hurt in the hunt for a league title since the merger of the two clubs.

The division has been a two-horse race all season. Both teams were unbeaten going into the decider, so something had to give. Both sides have notched up over 100 goals since October and both have the meanest defences.

A nil-nil draw at Heath End in October reflected the parity between the teams, both having been assured of promotion since late February

Bournemouth went into the game with a slender two-point lead, knowing that a draw would be enough to take the title to the South Coast.

Farnham, with the sun on their backs, overloaded down the right, aiming to ambush the home side from the off. Max Heaphy beat his man with his first touch, but Bournemouth were alive to the move and snuffed out the attack.

Jamie Strachan stopped the winger in his tracks as Bournemouth counter-attacked. Strachan, who has captained both of Farnham’s premier hockey and cricket teams, set the defensive benchmark with some strong tackles in the early stages. Neither side was willing to gamble too many men forward, stalking each other like two boxing heavyweights.

Bournemouth landed the first blow. Ed Rushmere, left isolated, conceded the first short corner and although Charlie Rickett blocked the resulting drag-flick, the ball dropped dead just inside the area and was slapped against the backboard.

A winded A&F took a deep breath and struck back almost instantly. The George Rooke/Ian Jennings axis, so pivotal this season, fizzed the ball into the box and Ian Metcalfe got in front of his marker to send a firm deflection past the rooted keeper.

Phil Rushmere, in his last game as skipper, was dominating the centre of the pitch alongside Jennings, but Bournemouth were up for the challenge and soon forged a narrow opening in a packed D to slide the ball into the bottom corner.

A&F again reacted quickly, driving down to the other end to win a short corner. The home keeper had already made two excellent saves from Jennings, but it was third time lucky for the reds. Jennings’ first strike was again stopped and Ross Ferguson reacted fastest to tuck the ball under the keeper: 2-2.

So it all came down to the final 35 minutes of the season. The pace remained high as both teams probed for an opening, a chance, a mistake.

The critical moment came in the 65th minute. Bournemouth countered after a good A&F spell and Ben Greene conceded a short corner. Rickett tried to close down the drag, but was blocked off and Bournemouth had time and space to drive the ball home.

The last five minutes was all A&F as they threw a season’s worth of effort into snatching the title from Bournemouth’s grasp. It was not to be, but Hampshire 1 awaits both sides next season.

A&F squad: Wilkie, Strachan, Rickett, E Rushmere, Greene, Stacker, P Rushmere, Coote, Heaphy, Jervis, Jennings, Buchanan, Brown, Metcalfe, Rooke, Ferguson.